Elected officials representing downtown St. Catharines have sent a letter to Ontario's top politician asking for urgent support.
Last week, St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe made an appeal to the Ontario and federal government for help addressing the city's homelessness and drug issues.
Premier Doug Ford said he knows the city is going through a tough time and the province needs to build more rehab facilities to help get drug users off the streets.
Today, a group including St. Catharines NDP MPP Jennie Stevens, local councillors, and downtown officials, sent off a letter to Ford asking for urgent affordable, supportive housing and increased mental health resources.
The letter says labelling the problem as solely a rehabilitation and addiction issue can stigmatize those who are struggling and oversimplifying the complex realities homeless people face.
"We feel strongly that the people who have fallen on hard times in our community need support, not judgement. Individuals can not receive rehabilitation services, unless they are housed first. To that end, we firmly echo the calls from the Mayor for emergency funding. "
The group is asking Ford to tour the downtown core.