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Thorold Makes Emergency Declaration

Thursday, 5 February 2026 17:50

By Geoff Waterfield

The city is joining the Niagara region concerning homelessness and addiction

The City of Thorold is joining the Niagara region in declaring a State of Emergency on mental health, homelessness, and addiction.

Councillor Carmen DeRose's motion passed, calling on the Ontario government to declare the same, alongside Ontario's 29 Big City mayors.

Local advocate Steven Soos, formerly homeless, pushed the urgency.  "We have to start at the province, because with emergency legislation, the province has to declare it doesn't have the capacity to handle the emergency before the feds step in."

He gave stats showing the problem is getting worse.

He noted Barrie has declared this, and was shocked people in Niagara are not aware of the problem.  "A state of emergency, Mr. Mayor, is a very serious thing, and we have to treat it like it's serious, we have to stop sweeping the issues of mental health, homelessness and addiction under the rug."


 

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