Greater Sudbury mayor calls for urgent action on homelessness, addiction crisis

An undated profile photo of Greater Sudbury Mayor Paul Lefebvre. (File photo/City of Greater Sudbury)

Greater Sudbury Mayor Paul Lefebvre says the city is making historic investments to address homelessness, mental health, and the toxic drug crisis but warns that local efforts alone are not enough without increased provincial and federal support.

In an opinion piece sent to local media on Saturday, Lefebvre described the human toll of the ongoing crisis, citing a 135 per cent increase in emergency department visits by unhoused individuals and an opioid-related death rate double Ontario’s average.

“People are still dying. Families are still grieving,” Lefebvre said.

“We cannot ignore this reality.”

The Greater Sudbury Police Services Board, on which Lefebvre serves as a director, recently declared the toxic drug crisis an epidemic. The mayor emphasized that frontline workers, health providers, and social agencies are struggling to keep up with demand, including an influx of individuals arriving from outside the community without housing or supports.

Municipal investments and partnerships

Over the past year, the city has allocated $50 million toward homelessness and housing programs, including $30 million from the municipal levy – the largest such commitment in Greater Sudbury’s history.

Key projects include:

• A 40-bed transitional housing program on Lorraine Street as part of the Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub.
• Affordable seniors’ housing on Sparks Street.
• The Sudbury Peace Tower affordable housing project.
• Expanded shelter capacity, winter response services, and outreach programs.

Lefebvre praised local agencies – including Health Sciences North (HSN), the Greater Sudbury Police Service, Public Health Sudbury & Districts, and Indigenous-led organizations like N’Swakamok Indigenous Friendship Centre and the Shkagamik-Kwe B.E.A.R. Team – for their work in harm reduction, healthcare, and housing support.

“We are doing more than ever before,” he said.

System under strain

Despite progress, Lefebvre stressed that the crisis is worsening. At an April 15 special council meeting, HSN reported that 10 unhoused individuals accounted for 441 emergency room visits between 2023 and 2024 – a trend the mayor called “unsustainable.”

“We need to act fast,” Lefebvre said.

“This crisis is stark and unacceptable.”

In his writing, the mayor urged senior governments to increase funding for long-term mental health and addiction services, rather than relying on emergency interventions.

A call for collaboration

While acknowledging that no single city can solve the crisis alone, Lefebvre vowed to continue pushing for action.

“The opioid epidemic is a national tragedy – but the solutions are local,” he said.

“They are rooted in partnership, perseverance, and a shared hope for a better future.”

The mayor ended with a message to those who have lost loved ones: “We see you. We grieve with you. And we are working every day to build the kind of community where fewer families suffer that same pain.”