QUEEN’S PARK — Mike Schreiner made the following statement in response to this morning’s Auditor General report:
“You would think in the midst of a devastating housing crisis that has intensified during the pandemic, homelessness would be a top priority. But not for the Premier.
The Auditor General did not mince her words in today’s report: Ontario does not have a provincial strategy to prevent and reduce homelessness.
It’s unacceptable.
Each night, about 9,600 Ontarians experience visible homelessness. Throughout the year, that number jumps to 90,000.
Yet the government’s latest Poverty Reduction Strategy does not even contain a goal to end homelessness.
And the province’s failure to support people transitioning from correctional facilities, health-care facilities and the child welfare system is making the situation worse.
We need to immediately and aggressively invest in permanent supportive housing and housing affordability to end chronic homelessness once and for all. It’s the right thing to do.
We have real solutions in our Housing Plan released earlier this year. And I’m ready to work across party lines to immediately address this important issue.”