The work continues to help those who are homeless in Thunder Bay.

Mayor Bill Mauro presented a memorandum to Council Monday, which was followed up by a discussion about what the municipality could do further.

In the memo, a number of agencies have stepped forward to express interest in getting involved on a city-wide protocol:

Thunder Bay District Health Unit
NorWest Community Health Centres
Thunder Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre
Lutheran Community Care
District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board
John Howard Society
St. Joseph’s Care Group
Elevate NWO
Matawa
Elizabeth Fry Society
Nishnawbe Aski Nation
Shelter House
Thunder Bay Police Services
Alpha Court
Grace Place
Beendigen
Ontario Native Women’s Association
Lakehead Social Planning Council
Dilico Anishinabek Family Care.

Mauro told Acadia News that the city may be one of a few within Ontario that provides money for Shelter, pointing to an annual $400,000 investment in Shelter House.

The empathetic Mayor stressed the city can’t go about this issue alone, adding “we can’t spend our way out of this problem, it will need to be through the support of federal and provincial orders of government.”

The memo also comes on the heels of individuals sheltering in an area in the parking lot at County Fair Plaza, which forced city officials to pause the installation of fencing and continue engagement of those most in need.