Whitby library board urges action on mental health, addictions and homelessness

Whitby Public Library Board Chair Liam Nichols has written on behalf of the board to reaffirm its support for the Ontario Big City Mayors' 'Solve the Crisis' campaign, which calls on the provincial government to act on homelessness, mental health and addictions across Ontario. The letter was posted to the library's website on October 9, 2026.

The letter says public libraries across Ontario have increasingly found themselves acting as frontline service providers in areas outside their mandate and expertise, and cites a 267 per cent rise in Whitby's homelessness rate — from 92 people in November 2024 to 338 in June 2026 — as driving demand for housing and placing growing pressure on limited community resources.

Nichols writes that Ontario libraries are funded primarily by municipalities — in Whitby's case the residential tax base — and that growing demands for security services, staff training and employee supports are putting additional pressure on already stretched budgets.

The board calls on the provincial and federal governments to work together on comprehensive solutions backed by adequate funding, including housing and treatment options, and says libraries remain committed to serving all members of the community without further stigmatizing those struggling with addiction or mental health challenges.