FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8 December 2025
QUEEN’S PARK – Today, MPP Lee Fairclough, Ontario Liberal Critic for Hospitals, Mental Health, Addictions and Homelessness issued the following statement.
It’s time to solve the crisis of the growing number of people experiencing homelessness, mental health conditions and addictions. Property taxpayers have reached their breaking point.
It is unquestionably the responsibility of the Ontario government to provide health care, mental health supports, and housing, and to create a policy environment that fosters affordability.
Instead, they respond with Bill 60, a measure that will push more people onto the streets. They vote down Bill 28 – the Homelessness Ends with Housing Act in October to have a concrete strategy to address homelessness putting housing first.
Meanwhile:
• The average wait time for substance use treatment is 253 days.
• The average wait time for bed-based residential treatment is 345 days.
• The average wait time is more than five but as high as 20 years for the 36,000 people on wait lists for supportive housing.
Their inaction has real consequences for everyone in this province and they are failing the people they were entrusted to serve. I join the Big City Mayors Caucus in calling for action.