AMO Dedicates Final Day of Conference to Ending Homelessness in Ontario

LONDON, ON, Aug. 23, 2023 /CNW/ - The third and final day of the 2023 Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference at the RBC Place in London is dedicated to ending homelessness in Ontario by 2030.

"Homelessness is a social, economic and health crisis right across Ontario," said Colin Best, AMO President. "In addition to the moral imperative to end homelessness, there's a solid business case that ending homelessness is good health policy, good economic policy, and good social policy."

Urgent action is needed to move beyond crisis response and tackle root causes, with solutions that address housing, income security, and health.

AMO has called on the Government of Ontario to immediately:

• increase social assistance rates and keep promises to transform Ontario's system;
• increase the supply of deeply affordable community housing;
• continue to invest in community-based mental health and addictions services, including supportive housing; and,
• continue to increase base funding for the Homelessness Prevention Program, to enhance the emergency shelter system.

These provincial actions, in addition to federal enhancements to the National Housing Strategy, are critical to enabling a human-rights approach to housing and encampments at the local level.

While the Ontario government has made recent and helpful investments in mental health, public health and housing, our province continues to have the lowest per capita spending on services in Canada. To match the average expenditures of other provinces and territories, Ontario's annual expenditures would need to increase by $28 billion.

More than 2,000 participants attended the 2023 AMO Conference in London, August 20 ? 23. The Conference is an important opportunity for municipal officials to work together with the Ontario government on solutions to today's greatest challenges. The event features more than 60 speakers, sessions and workshops, reflecting the broad scope of municipal responsibilities and priorities.

AMO works to make municipal governments stronger and more effective. AMO brings together Ontario's 444 municipalities to achieve shared goals and meet common challenges.

SOURCE Association of Municipalities of Ontario