THUNDER BAY – After retracting comments he made earlier this week, Mayor Ken Boshcoff said on Thursday that he personally feels the city’s human rights approach to homelessness isn’t working.
Boshcoff said he understands why council took that approach and he “wishes it was working.”
“I unfortunately have to deal with neighborhoods who are having an extraordinary amount of problems with people crossing across their yards and . . . instilling a sense of unease.
“So just try to imagine that without this issue, I could spend 60 per cent more of my day working on economic development.”
Boshcoff wants people to understand how much of a problem homelessness is in Thunder Bay.
“The issue is so, so huge – it covers a lot of ground,” he said.
“We do have people working on it. They are spending a lot of time. So the focus is let's make sure the public understands the immensity of the problem and how difficult it is to deal with.”
Boshcoff said it’s important for the public to know a large part of his day is spent working with neighbourhoods, businesses and families impacted by homelessness – “as well as those who are having trouble getting police service because they’re doing things related to this.”
When he was asked what the city should do instead of taking a human rights approach, Boshcoff said he won’t go against the work of council.
“It's the law of the council. I'm only expressing my frustration,” he said.
“I want it to work better and I'm certainly not going to undermine. I will be fully supportive of what we have to do and will support any initiative that can lead to people getting themselves on a healthy path.”
On Thursday, Brian Hamilton, chair of the District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board, issued a response to Boshcoff’s comments from earlier in the week.
“In an article shared yesterday, Mayor Boshcoff is quoted as stating that Thunder Bay is participating in a “safe supply city” pilot. It is then incorrectly stated that ‘provision of this pilot is within the purview of the District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board [TBDSSAB], which has been mandated by the province to handle the file.’
“To be clear: This statement is not correct.”
“TBDSSAB is not involved in the safe supply of drugs. TBDSSAB does not manage any part of the mental health and addictions service system.”
Hamilton’s statement said the retraction didn’t mention TBDSSAB.
Boshcoff’s retraction described the safer supply program run by NorWest Community Health Centres, which is funded by Health Canada. This small program has less than 25 clients who receive a prescription for safer supply with the oversight of health-care providers.
