How northwestern Ontario election candidates plan to tackle homelessness and addictions crises

With hundreds of people experiencing homelessness and opioid-related death rates that far exceed provincial averages, there's a lot at stake in the provincial election for residents in northwestern Ontario.

At least 550 people are experiencing homelessness in Thunder Bay, according to the latest point-in-time count conducted in the fall. Further west, 500 people are known to be homeless in the Kenora District Services Board's catchment area.

Homelessness in northern Ontario has grown four times faster than in non-northern communities in the last eight years, and new research suggests the region's rates could more than quadruple over the next decade, as reported by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.

As for the opioid crisis, the Thunder Bay district has the highest opioid-related death rate in the province, according to the latest information from the Office of the Chief Coroner. 

At a rate of 78.16 deaths per 100,000 population, that's more than five times the provincial average of 15.7 deaths per 100,000 population.

CBC News asked all the candidates in northwestern Ontario how they plan to address homelessness and the opioid crisis in the ridings of Thunder Bay—Superior North, Thunder Bay—Atikokan, Kenora–Rainy River and Kiiwetinoong.

Responses were received from 12 of the 16 candidates by deadline. Click through the photo gallery to read a synopsis of each of their responses.

CBC News interviewed three residents in Thunder Bay with differing views to learn more about what they want to see their next MPPs do to address these issues. Here's what they shared. 

Aldo Ruberto says he's used naloxone to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses around his office countless times. The chair of the Fort William Business Improvement Area says homeless encampments and public drug use have had a negative impact on local businesses.

He says he wants to see the removal of encampments, the elimination of public drug use and stricter consequences for drug dealers through the courts.

"Our city's talking about [how] we want to grow our city, et cetera. Well, before you do that, let's address the elephant in the room here," Ruberto said. "Let's clean up the city and let's help these individuals, but we can't allow that behaviour to continue."

He feels hopeful about the new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) hub set to open in the city this spring. The hub will essentially replace Path 525 in Thunder Bay, the only remaining supervised consumption site in northern Ontario, which is set to close at the end of March.

While HART hubs will not allow supervised drug consumption, safer supply, or needle exchange programs, they're intended to provide wraparound support — meaning care that meets clients' needs for housing, health care and other social supports — as well as primary care, counselling and employment training.

"I believe the hub is going to be a good thing in a sense that it's more treatment-oriented," said Ruberto. "I hope that it leads to recovery for a lot of individuals."