Mayor's Annual Address Highlights Plight Of The Homeless

It was a short and abrupt annual speech from Mayor Clive Tolley which promised changes for those less fortunate in the community before next winter.

“I'm not particularly jubilant this year I guess when I recognize the battle with Covid, minus 40 degree weather and generally Moose Jaw people, Saskatchewan people looking forward to spring,” Mayor Tolley said.

The Mayor stated the emphasis by City Hall has been on growth, but he emphasized growth with a conscience.

“We have made no secret, as the Mayor and Administration, we are trying to grow this City. We are trying to attract people to the City. We are trying to attract people and create jobs here,” he said, adding “but at this time we have to have empathy and compassion for our less fortunate citizen’s…we have got to think about the people who are struggling.”

The Mayor said it had been very hard in the cold weather for people just trying to get by and there is a need for an emergency shelter.

The City was working with community groups and trying to make sure next winter people will have a place to go for clothing, food and shelter, he said.

“Before we were the Notorious City we were the Friendly City and I would like to basically ask people in Moose Jaw to keep in mind we are still a friendly city and keep on the good quality of life we have and try to extend that to every citizen we have,” he said.

He said the community needed to pull together to enhance the lives of all citizens.

The Mayor said that he was confident by pulling together that next winter people would not be out in the cold but would have a place to go and a place to stay.

POST COUNCIL PRESSER

In the post Council news scrum MJ Independent asked Mayor Tolley if his annual address was not a reversal of his former position to helping those less better off during the 2022 budget deliberations.

“No, we as a City can provide leadership around trying to address the needs of the less fortunate,” he said, adding “ but unfortunately we don’t have a budget for some of the things that are required.”

“We need to look to the Provincial government and the federal government for assistance for some of our organizations that are delivering those services.”

Mayor Tolley pointed out social services and housing were provincial responsibilities and he had spoken to the two local MLAs who accepted that and were “working hard towards providing the services for the less fortunate.”

“I guess I am less joyous going into the new year recognizing there are some people who have been out this winter in this terrible weather.”

Asked if vacancies in local social housing could not be filled to help resolve the problem Mayor Tolley said it was a complex problem.

“The problem with homelessness is it complex situation. Sometimes there are substance abuse problems and sometimes there are mental health problems. Sometimes people can't or don't know how to access the services that are available,” he said giving the example of people not having ID to access social services as one of the complexities.

“I’m not trying to pass the buck. I am just facing up to the fact we have a few people who require these emergency services over this cold winter and we are going to try to show some leadership (by working with other levels of government and non-profit sector) to hopefully by next winter have a better solution in place,” he said.

Asked if one problem might be the location of the Saskatchewan Health Authority's drop-in centre for those under a psychiatrist's care might be a reason for homelessness the Mayor disagreed.

“It’s a multi-prong problem there is no single answer,” Mayor Tolley said