Springside Park, Aug. 2024 - Photo by Emily Chatwood / MBC News
Ontario municipal election candidates now have a new resource to help them understand some of the mental health, addictions and homelessness issues affecting communities across the province.
The Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario has launched the CMHA Briefing Room, an online resource providing practical, evidence-informed information for candidates ahead of municipal election day on October 26.
The resource covers mental health and addictions, homelessness and housing, community safety, and potential solutions and policy approaches.
It also includes wellness tips aimed at helping candidates manage the pressures of campaigning and protect their own mental health.
CMHA Ontario says municipalities are increasingly being called on to respond to issues including homelessness, encampments, supportive housing and pressure on local services, often while working with limited resources.
The organization says municipal governments cannot address these challenges alone and that effective solutions require co-ordination between municipal, provincial and federal governments, along with community-based mental health and addictions services.
According to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, an estimated 85,000 people experienced homelessness in Ontario in 2025.
The CMHA Briefing Room is also intended as a resource for municipal leaders, media and the public.
More information is available at cmhabriefingroom.ca.
