Compassion With Accountability — Fix Homelessness & Street Drug Use in Sault Ste. Marie

To: Mayor Matthew Shoemaker, City Council, and Local Leaders

We, the undersigned residents of Sault Ste. Marie, are compassionate people. We care about our neighbors. We feel for those struggling with homelessness and addiction. No one wants to see another person suffer.

But what is happening in our city is no longer compassion — it has become enabling.

Homelessness in Sault Ste. Marie has increased by over 250% in the past three years (Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services). In 2021, at least 244 people were homeless, with 52 chronically homeless (Homeless Hub). 65% of these individuals are Indigenous, showing the need for culturally safe solutions. Today, the numbers are even higher.

Meanwhile, visible drug use, overdoses, and repeat low-level crimes are overwhelming our police, EMS, and hospitals. People are not going to jail, not receiving tickets, and not being held accountable. They are left to harm themselves and the community. Families cannot enjoy their own streets and yards. Downtown businesses are suffering.

This is not compassion — it is unsafe, unhealthy, and unsustainable. It is a crisis that demands leadership and immediate action.

Possible Suggestions

We call on the City of Sault Ste. Marie to take bold, coordinated action:

Housing First – Immediately secure or convert 30–50 units into supportive housing, prioritizing those most at risk.

Treatment on Demand – Guarantee same-day access to methadone, Suboxone, detox, and counseling, tied directly to housing.
Mandatory Drug Treatment Court – Make treatment with supervision the default response for non-violent drug-related offences. Stop the revolving door of jail, shelters, and ER visits.
Encampment Resolution With Real Alternatives – People must be offered housing keys and treatment slots, not just displacement.
Weekly Accountability – Require police, Crown prosecutors, housing agencies, and health providers to meet weekly with a live “by-name list” to track every person until housed and in treatment.
Prevention Programs – Expand eviction prevention, rent relief, and mental health supports to stop more people from falling into homelessness.

Why This Works

Medicine Hat, Alberta reached “functional zero” for chronic homelessness using Housing First and weekly coordination.

Finland cut long-term homelessness by 68% through Housing First at scale.
Ontario’s Drug Treatment Courts already exist, and evidence shows they reduce re-offending and cost less than jail.

These solutions are proven. What’s missing in Sault Ste. Marie is the leadership to implement them.

Our Message

We, the residents of Sault Ste. Marie, are compassionate — but compassion without accountability is not helping anyone. Leaving people to die on our streets, to overdose, to bring children into this chaos, and to disrupt our neighborhoods is not compassion.
Compassion means real housing, real treatment, and real accountability. Our community deserves safe streets, healthy families, and dignity for those struggling.

We demand that Mayor Shoemaker and City Council lead now!

Sign this petition if you agree that Sault Ste. Marie needs compassion with accountability — not chaos.