Kenora, Ontario mayor declares state of emergency over closure of emergency shelter

Just one day after declaring a state of emergency because heavy rains had damaged more than 20 roads in the area, the mayor of Kenora declared a second state of emergency over the closure on Canada Day of the homeless shelter in the northwestern Ontario city.

• Kenora declares state of emergency

• Kenora, Ontario council defers emergency shelter zoning amendment

• Homeless people in Kenora get temporary shelter

The statement, issued June 28, was made because "it brings in both the provincial and federal governments to be part of the solution," said mayor Dave Canfield.

"This isn't just a local issue. This is a federal and provincial issue with homelessness and there's been a lot of talk about it. The Prime Minister talked a lot about it during the election."

The declaration operates on several levels.

"It get us past that first hurdle," said Canfied of a zoning bylaw which would have prevented the shelter from operating out of Knox United Church until the end of September.

The declaration gives the city the power to supercede that zoning bylaw on a temporary basis.

Second, it adds a sense of urgency to the issue.

"In fact, I've been contacted by a few ministers, including the premier, because of our two states of emergency, so it just opens that door for opportunities and powers that you wouldn't normally have without a state of emergency," Canfield said.

The hope now is that the state of emergency will bring together all the parties involved - the Kenora District Services Board, the Nechee Friendship Centre, the Kenora Fellowship Centre and all three levels of government - for some meaningful discussions, he said.

"We have to come up with something before winter, and we have to come up with a permanent long-term solution for the emergency shelter," said Canfield.