‘We want everybody to be safe’: Outreach centre preaches collaborative effort to solve homelessness

Busby Centre staff help homeless people pack up after being removed from street encampment in Barrie

Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall did not hold back when addressing his plans to take back streets in Barrie.

Speaking with CTV News, Nuttall addressed the usage drugs in public spaces, illegal dispensaries, and taking over outreach services.

“The feeling that I have myself is, why is there one set of laws for those who are dealing drugs and using drugs and another set of laws for everybody else,” said Nuttall.

Nuttall also addressed policing downtown.

“There’s no question that there’s a demand for more policing in downtown Barrie. We’ve increased, we’ve had the 12 new special constables,” said Nuttall. “It’s important that we have officers visual, and visible and in place at all possible times.”

Businesses downtown are receptive of the mayor’s approach.

“It’s concerning for all the businesses downtown,” said Steve Ricalis, owner of Donaleighs Irish Public House. “There’s perception of people coming downtown and it’s never great, with the lawlessness and the open drug use, and I believe he has a plan, and I think it’s going to work.”

Nuttall said he wants strong enforcement from the police, strong prosecution, and stiff penalties handed out from the judicial system.

He wants to take it a step further, handling outreach services in the city, taking it over from the County of Simcoe.

“We’re constantly trying to ensure that our parks are safe and that our open spaces are safe,” said Nuttall. “But we don’t have control of the outreach services and it’s a place where I think that we’ve been lacking in downtown Barrie.”

Sara Peddle, executive director of the Busby Centre, continues to support a more collaborative approach.

“We want everybody to be well in our communities. We want everybody to be safe and that’s something that we have to collaborate on. All levels of government, all service groups, all community,” said Peddle.

With more supports becoming available to those who need it.

“People are really struggling in our community with mental health and addiction right now,” said Peddle. “We are very fortunate that we have a lot of collaborative efforts happening, the County and a lot of the service providers have been coming together around the Hart Hub, the new bridge housing program for high acuity unsheltered individuals just opened.”

The ideas will be discussed at city council on Wednesday night.