Hawkesbury is not a big city, but town council recently agreed to support a motion being circulated by the organization Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) calling upon provincial and federal governments to take action to address what it calls a growing mental health, addictions, and homelessness crisis in Ontario.
The motion endorses the OBCM Solve the Crisis campaign to raise awareness of these problems in urban centres across the province.
When Hawkesbury council endorsed the motion on November 12, Mayor Robert Lefebvre noted services to assist with mental health, addictions, and homelessness already exist in the community, but small municipalities need more services as much as larger ones.
“It is well beyond our means,” Lefebvre said.
Councillor Jeanne Charlebois noted Lefebvre had worked for the establishment of a seasonal warming centre for homeless residents of Hawkesbury during the winter of 2023-2024 and the facility is open again this season. Charlebois said she appreciates that care is being taken for homeless people in Hawkesbury who need somewhere to go on cold nights.
According to the United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) Department of Social Services, there were 89 homeless people living in its eight municipalities as of November 1, 2024. Out of that total, 40 homeless people resided in the Town of Hawkesbury.
