City of Guelph wants province to step up on housing and other issues | Globalnews.ca

Members of Guelph city council and city staff are calling on the province to help them with paramedic off-load delays, mental health support, and the biggest hot-button issue, housing.

The three issues were seen as high priorities in the city as a number of ambulances were seen parked outside Guelph General Hospital waiting to off-load patients last summer due to staff shortages at the hospital. That resulted in fewer ambulances available for calls.

The lack of affordable and attainable housing is not just a Guelph-centric problem. But both the city and the Guelph Chamber of Commerce issued an open letter to the provincial government in June saying more should be done on the issue.

A news release from the city stated provincial support would help Guelph improve important services and address local priorities that will enable them to grow and be ready for the future.

Both council and staff spoke with many provincial ministers at this week’s Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference in London. They included health minister Sylvia Jones, associate minister of mental health and addictions Amarjot Sandhu, NDP leader Marit Stiles, and staff from the Ministry of Transportation.

Along with housing, off-load delays and mental health, the parties also discussed Indigenous relations, brownfield remediation, and infrastructure funding.

“We had so many constructive conversations at this year’s conference,” said Guelph CAO Scott Stewart in a statement. “Key challenges like housing and healthcare need all levels of government working together to solve, and I’m confident our provincial partners will support our asks.”

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