There was an emotional debate over whether to declare a state of emergency over homelessness, mental health and opioid addiction in Niagara.
Niagara’s public health and social services committee brought the issue to Regional Council last night asking to declare states of emergency for the three areas of concern, while also declaring homelessness a federal humanitarian crisis.
Council agreed and voted to make the moves.
St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe asked for a recorded vote on the matter saying residents should know who is willing to take action.
St. Catharines Coun. Laura Ip voted against the motion saying she won't support a feel-good public relations move, "When we declare these states of emergency and the province continues to ignore us we need the public to understand that what we've done and have been doing is everything that we can do. I don't want to give people the impression that declaring states of emergency actually mean something, I don't want to give them a sense of false hope and then when nothing happens they blame us for the lack of results when there were no results to be had from such a move."
Some Councillors said even if the declaration doesn't spur funding, it will at least attract attention from upper levels of government.