Day 2 | Everyone’s Responsibility: Canada’s Challenge with Street Issues

Full Panel Transcript

Note to readers: This video session was transcribed using auto-transcribing software. Manual editing was undertaken in an effort to improve readability and clarity. Questions or concerns with the transcription can be directed to events@canurb.org with “transcription” in the subject line.

Full Audience Chatroom Transcript

Note to reader: Chat comments have been edited for ease of readability. The text has not been edited for spelling or grammar. For questions or concerns, please contact events@canurb.org with “Chat Comments” in the subject lin

From Canadian Urban Institute: You can find transcripts and recordings of today’s and all our webinars at https://canurb.org/citytalk

Canadian Urban Institute:COMING UP:  Everyone’s responsibility: Canada’s Challenge with Street Issues (2:30 – 3:15pm ET) with Judge Christine Lowe, Victoria Integrated Court; Mark Garner, CEO, Downtown Yonge BIA; Craig Cooper, Director of Housing Stability Services, City of London; Derek Pace, Brunswick Street Mission, Halifax; and moderated by Ken Kelly, Project Manager, IDA Canada. This Summit would have not been possible without the incredible support of our partners and sponsors. Please visit www.canurb.org/citysummit for the full list of sponsors. 02:54:04 Suzanne Kavanagh: This needs to be an annual check in as we continue this dialogue. 02:54:54 Erwin Dreessen: How many people are tuning in today? How many yesterday? (I heard 2 numbers: 400, or 1200!) 02:54:59 Christopher Clacio: Municipal and regional government will be the future for Canadian politics 02:55:06 Canadian Urban Institute: Ken Kelly is Project Manager for IDA Canada. He is an urban planner who has worked for over forty years throughout Canada to revitalize downtowns and inner cities.  He has lived and worked in five of the country’s six regions in the public and private sectors and at two universities. He is the former manager of Downtown Moncton, N.B. and of Downtown Victoria, B.C. and an honourary citizen of Winnipeg, MB. 02:55:17 Stephanie Beausoleil: 🙂 02:55:46 Canadian Urban Institute: A friendly zoom reminder, you can see and hear us but we can’t see or hear you Our summit is being offered in both French and English. Please click on the globe at the bottom of your screen and select your preferred language.    We are recording today’s session and will share it online at www.canurb.org/citysummit     We hope this summit is as interactive as possible, so please feel free to share comments, references, links and questions in the chat. 02:55:46 paul mackinnon: it would be easier to list the cities in Canada where Ken has NOT worked 🙂 02:57:33 Canadian Urban Institute: Derek Pace is a passionate defender of social justice issues and has spent the past couple of decades working in social services agencies ranging from homeless shelters in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver to food security agencies on both coasts of Canada. He has a love for working the front line and always has a smile when talking to service recipients. He is happiest when he is rolling up his sleeves and working alongside staff and getting the work done. Derek likes challenges and new projects. He joined the Brunswick Street Mission team as Executive Director in April 2021. 02:57:47 Canadian Urban Institute: Craig Cooper is the Director of Housing Stability Services at the City of London. Before coming to the City in April 2019, Craig worked as a program supervisor at Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. In this role, Craig oversaw the Developmental Services Sector for Grey and Bruce counties. Craig has also worked at the Ministry of Municipal of Housing as a Senior Housing Advisor and oversaw implementation of the various Provincial housing and homelessness programs. Craig has an HBA from Western University and spends his spare time with his Wife and two kids. Craig has been a “Big Brother” for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of London and Area for the past 13 years. 02:57:54 Sandra Severs: Greetings, Derek, from Victoria! 02:58:33 Canadian Urban Institute: Mark Garner has been a successful business and community leader for more than 30 years. As Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer for the Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area, Mark is an active champion for building a thriving, vibrant city centre. An action-oriented advocate for change, he has spearheaded numerous campaigns and projects to bring about improvements – including developing an incisive 9-point Safety & Inclusion Action Plan to address social issues, executing programs to clean up laneways, developing and implementing a comprehensive Music Strategy, and working directly with municipal leaders on urban planning and revitalization. Mark’s business acumen and social conscience were forged during his years as a senior executive at major Canadian companies, including Bank of Montreal, AT&T and NCR Canada. 02:58:38 Cherie Klassen: And here’s the Ken we mentioned earlier! 02:58:45 Canadian Urban Institute: Over the past decade he has increasingly concentrated on the revitalization and development of urban downtowns, playing an integral role as a catalyst for targeted economic growth, vibrant neighbourhoods, social innovation and start-up incubators. 02:58:59 Canadian Urban Institute: Judge Christine Lowe was a lawyer with the British Columbia Prosecution Service for over 25 years before being appointed to the Provincial Court of British Columbia in August 2015. As a prosecutor, she was part of the public service and community based group that founded the Victoria Integrated Court in 2011. This court services offenders who struggle with a combination of homelessness, addiction and mental illness. The court works in a collaborative and supportive manner with these offenders and their community supports. Judge Lowe now has the pleasure of sitting as a presiding judge in the Integrated Court. 02:59:08 Terry Guiel: Bang on Derek!!! 03:04:35 paul mackinnon: I’d be interested in examples of cities where there is good collaboration between levels of gov’t, business, service agencies, etc. 03:09:17 Terry Guiel: This is helpful Craig. 03:11:04 paul mackinnon: In London, is the municipality technically responsible for housing and/or social services? Or is the city doing this work regardless of jurisdiction? 03:12:08 Ronny Yaron: Toronto has had a mental health court for over 25 years that has case workers connected and has helped divert hundreds from jail ! 03:12:42 Rino Bortolin: One huge success we’ve had here in Windsor is bringing all area partners to the table but also include biz/BIA and residents. Biz and residents often felt left out so it lead to nimby approaches to hard issues. Once they became part of the solution and table they became more collaboratively engaged.  It also is informal with no minutes so ppl can speak freely and it has lead to a lot of great collaboration between street outreach, city, police, mental health, biz and residents.  Here is link to our website that has some good insights…..https://www.windsorwellbeing.com/ 03:13:20 Zelda Brown: On the horizon:  London Poverty Research Centre; https://alliance2030.ca/members/london-poverty-research-centre/ 03:14:56 Rachel Braithwaite: Indwell is amazing! 03:18:56 Alysson Storey: Thank you Craig! Great presentation, London being our neighbour I found your solutions of even more interest. 03:19:19 Alysson Storey: And @Rino – I’m looking at your website now, very interesting! Something we might want to consider for Chatham. 03:21:34 Terry Guiel: Speaking the truths Mark.  Thank you. 03:22:44 Terry Guiel: These are the immediate and prime issues facing downtowns. Nothing comes ahead of these issues Mark is raising. 03:24:11 Terry Guiel: These pictures are being seen across the province in every downtown that has social programs. 03:25:08 Terry Guiel: BANG ON Mark!!! 03:25:15 Geoff McCausland: We have increased the coordination of our response in Greater Sudbury and it has made a HUGE difference. 03:25:32 Ken Kelly: And across the country, Terry! 03:25:52 Terry Guiel: Yes, of course 03:25:56 Kay Matthews: In rural and urban communities. 03:25:58 Stephanie Beausoleil: Mark and his team at DYBIA are MAJOR advocates- for our most vulnerable.  Thanks for the updates and your commitment Mark 03:27:22 Cherie Klassen: Our BIA Council in Edmonton has also been advocating for many of the things you are also sharing. The business community plays a big role in being advocates for homeless and social issues. 03:27:25 Stephanie Beausoleil: 100% 03:27:39 Cherie Klassen: Yes! 03:28:02 Trina MacDonald: 100% agree! 03:28:27 Geoff McCausland: What’s the point of enforcing the law if the courts won’t do anything and act as a revolving door? Also I think we need to decriminalize all drugs and treat it as a health rather than a criminal justice issue. 03:29:17 Stephanie Beausoleil: Accountability! 03:29:39 Terry Guiel: Municipal coffers need healthy downtowns (Commercial tax collection).  Dead on Mark. 03:30:02 Sue Uteck: Great presentation Mark!! 03:30:05 Stephanie Beausoleil: If what were doing isn’t working we need to own it and make changes to save lives and our cities 03:30:08 Terry Guiel: Perfect presentation Mark…..PERFECT!! 03:30:14 Stephanie Beausoleil: Duty of care 100% 03:30:31 Kay Matthews: Thank you Mark, you have continued to be a wonderful leader and advocate in Ontario. 03:30:31 Angela Macdonald: Great presentation Mark 03:30:34 Stephanie McCracken: Thanks Mark for speaking to these very urgent issues. 03:30:55 paul mackinnon: Curious what people feel is the best role for the BIA. 03:30:56 Walter Jamieson: Great ideas and presentation mark 03:30:56 Peter Vaisbord: Great 9 points Mark 03:31:04 Stephanie Beausoleil: Absolutely Mark! Thank you. 03:31:44 MariaLuisa Marti: Thank you Mark, as a person that deals with the decay of public spaces in Ottawa 03:31:46 Carol Jolly: Thank you, Mark.  Very informative and hopeful presentation. 03:31:52 Terry Guiel: Sadly 50% of my job (BIA executive) is dealing with mental health, poverty and addiction issues. 03:32:03 Cherie Klassen: @paul, we’ve been clear that our role is advocacy. We can implement some programs, but since we are not experts in homelessness, we need to stay in our lane. 03:34:11 Terry Guiel: Courts and Crown Attorney’s in particular are a big part of the problem 03:36:31 Geoff McCausland: This sounds like a wonderful example of restorative justice. We so often seem to have a blend of a punitive justice system and restorative that doesn’t serve anyone well. 03:40:03 Stephanie McCracken: This looks like a wonderful program 03:42:57 Stephanie Beausoleil: Thank you, all of you 03:43:03 Cherie Klassen: Community programs are great way to make an impact. 03:43:10 Geoff McCausland: Can we have an integrated court in Ontario? Anyone know of examples of that? 03:43:15 Kerry LeBlanc: we are all in this together. 03:43:41 Peter Vaisbord: Hi Ken – Peter 03:44:22 paul mackinnon: seeya in 8. Popcorn break! 03:45:00 Canadian Urban Institute: Thank you Ken, Craig, Derek, Mark, and Judge Lowe. Thank you IDA for your leadership on this session. We are going to take a quick 15 minute break and return at 3:30pm ET for our next session “Downtown dynamism: Rebuilding hospitality and culture ” with Beth Potter, CEO, Tourism Industry Association of Canada  Michael Rubinoff, Theatre Producer and Founding Producer, Come from Away  Erin Benjamin, President, Canadian Live Music Association Tarun Nayar, Executive Director, 5X Festival 03:46:07 Puneeta McBryan: For everyone who’s keenly interested in this upcoming Culture session – I have to put in a plug for the international Music Cities Convention that we’re hosting (virtually) here in Alberta next month. It’s the first-ever Music Cities Convention being held in Canada!  I’ll be MC’ing from Edmonton on day 2. Hope to see some of you there.  https://www.musiccitiesevents.com/schedule-alberta 03:53:13 Cherie Klassen: Thanks Puneeta! I love the photo on the home page. What a great BIA!