'I'm appalled, but more than that, I'm scared' North Bay business owner wants action on homeless, addiction

Jane Kelly moved back to her hometown of North Bay in June to open a fitness studio in the downtown.

She says every day she walks by a plaque that bears the name of her father Jim, who was involved in revitalizing the business district in the 1980s.

"I can't feel in a way thankful that he's no longer with us as what he would now see in our downtown would make him very sad," Kelly told North Bay city council Tuesday.

She says she's dealt with homeless people shooting heroin, urinating, sleeping in her doorway and accosting outdoor spin cycle classes, prompting her to call police at least 10 times.

"I'm appalled, but more than that, I'm scared. And I'll tell you that the majority of your constituents that I've spoken to, and there's been a lot, they're also scared and disgusted by what's going on in the city," Kelly told council, along with her business partner David Barrie.

"The city's like an episode of the Walking Dead. And they're not just downtown, they're everywhere."

Kelly said she feels that there is a lot of "shrugging" off the problem by government officials, including those at the city.

Several North Bay city councillors were quick to point some of the good things that have been happening downtown, including more public events that were held before the pandemic.

Some also pointed to the downtown ambassadors program, which reaches out and offers help to those living on the street. It launched in 2019 and was expanded earlier this year.

North Bay Mayor Al McDonald said he is working with the province to bring more affordable housing and addiction services to the city.

"It's a very complex issue. This is a topic that is a constant conversation with council and with our community," he told council.

A tent city was set up on the grounds of North Bay city hall last month to protest rising homelessness.

Around the same time, the city's new emergency homeless shelter doubled in size to 22 beds.