To the editor:
I have been a resident of North Bay for just over 4-years now (previously from Owen Sound, and originally from Toronto), and have grown to love this town, as does my wife and children.
Our children are active in sports and education, my wife is a local photographer and RPN, and I work as a Law Clerk with a local Law Firm. The community feels a lot smaller when you meet many of the business owners at work or during early morning hockey practices.
One very common conversational topic among most of the residents I have spoken to is the decline of the justice system in this town and the lack of infrastructure able to support the growing number of people with addictions.
The gossip, or "tea" as modern slang would dictate, around town is that some of the homeless/addicts that litter the streets of downtown North Bay were shuttled up here from cities such as Toronto, however, I have not seen any confirmation of this as of yet.
That being said, it certainly is quite apparent that the uptick in homelessness due to the rising cost of living in post-pandemic Canada is a driving factor behind the rise in people battling addictions. According to a report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), there is a strong correlation between homelessness and addictions in Ontario, Canada.
The report states that nearly half (49%) of the homeless population in Ontario has a mental health or addiction problem. Additionally, the report found that substance use is a significant contributor to homelessness, with 20% of homeless individuals in Ontario experiencing substance use issues. (Canadian Institute for Health Information. (2018). Housing and Homelessness in Canada: Ontario highlights. Retrieved from here.
These are factors that play in the sudden rise in crime that residents have been seeing in North Bay over the last 5-10 years. Crimes such as bike thefts, break and enters, assaults (both verbal and physical), and vandalizing of commercial/residential premises.
How do you deal with these growing numbers? Does North Bay need its own caped crusader to glide through the night, vanquishing crime one "Pow!" and "Crack!" at a time? Although that may be cool, it is not practical. There is a need for adequate housing, properly allocated funding, and awareness of these growing problems. They will not just go away because you ignore them.
As a resident of this beautiful town, a parent of young children, and a homeowner, I am deeply concerned with how the folks who make up our council will address these problems in the future. It seems as though it may only get worse if it is not properly approached.
I do not plan on leaving North Bay, but I must admit, if things continue in their decline, the possibility of it is there.
Alex Simonetta
North Bay
