Scale of homeless crisis above Oshawa’s capacity: Mayor

In response to a recent act of gun violence in downtown Oshawa (see below), Mayor Dan Carter has issued a renewed call for urgent and coordinated government action to address what he describes as Ontario’s escalating public health crisis.

“Just [few days] ago, gun violence struck our downtown – a shocking act that does not reflect who we are,” Carter said in a public statement. “Oshawa is a city built on kindness, compassion and respect. We will not tolerate lawless behaviour that threatens our safety or damages our community. We will not stand silent.”

Durham Post recently published a statement from Councillor Brian Nicholson in which he said drugs and intimidation as well as acts of nuisance are plaguing an area in Oshawa (see below).

Carter emphasized that while the City of Oshawa has continued to step up its response to homelessness, addiction, and mental health issues, the scale of the crisis now exceeds the municipality’s capacity to respond alone.

He said although the Region of Durham holds primary responsibility for social services, shelters, housing, public health, and policing, the City of Oshawa currently invests more than $3.5 million annually into health and safety initiatives. These include:

• Enhanced lighting, security, graffiti removal, and garbage cleanup in the downtown;
• Daily sidewalk and business entrance cleaning;
• Assistance to private property owners with removal of drug paraphernalia;
• A grant program for downtown businesses to invest in safety improvements;
• Increased parks patrol and trail maintenance;
• 24/7 patrols by Municipal Law Enforcement and Corporate Security Officers; and
• Oshawa Fire’s specialized Rapid Response Unit and 20 additional firefighters for overdose response.

“We’ve done everything we can at the municipal level,” said Carter. “But the scale of this public health crisis demands significant action and investment from the regional, provincial and federal governments.”

Mayor Carter expressed continued support for the Ontario Government’s Safer Municipalities Act, which he says would give cities like Oshawa the tools they need to respond more effectively to ongoing social challenges. He also criticized the lack of regional social services directly located within Oshawa, despite the city bearing a disproportionate share of the region’s needs.

Care Clinic

Carter repeated his call for a 24/7 dedicated in-hospital mental health and addiction urgent care clinic in Oshawa, and noted his formal request for $40 million in provincial funding to support integrated recovery programs and wraparound care.

“Numerous municipalities across Ontario are under similar strain, and we draw strength from their shared resolve,” Carter said. “But we cannot do it alone. We need strong, sustained action and partnership from all levels of government.”

The City of Oshawa continues to advocate for long-term solutions grounded in compassion, safety, and accountability.

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