‘I don’t see a plan’: Belleville, Ont. and why it declared a social-issue emergency

Mayor Neil Ellis says the provincial and federal governments need to come up with a plan to deal with the growing crisis for addiction, overdoses and homelessness.

Belleville, Ont., Mayor Neil Ellis says the city and its emergency services are being stretched thin because of a range of social issues.

“We need the support not only to alleviate this in the community but it has been taxing our resources,” Ellis said.

The mayor has taken the drastic step of declaring an addiction, mental health and homelessness emergency.

Ellis says there were 16 overdoses on Tuesday; just two days later there have been six more.

“When you declare an emergency … if there’s any access to funding it makes you more of a priority issue,” Ellis said.

Maury Flunder, the chair of Belleville’s business improvement association, says the growing list of social issues in Belleville’s downtown area is the number one concern according to a recent survey of merchants in the area.

The BIA runs an outreach program called Welcoming Streets aimed at helping Belleville’s vulnerable population access support.

Flunder says despite the efforts of the BIA and the municipality, the crisis is getting worse.