Timmins mayor releases results of town hall meeting

Timmins Mayor Michelle Boileau has released a report acknowledging concerns raised at last week’s town hall.

Boileau said the city promises to better communicate how it plans to address issues like crime, public safety and drug-related activity in the area.

The city has been hard at work on a slew of issues, Boileau said, and based on reactions at last week’s town hall, she said it’s clear that communication has been lacking.

That’s why one of the items the city is working on is making a dedicated safety action page on the city’s website.

“That would be a place where we’ll be able to put up all the different things that we’re doing, as mayor and council, to address, specifically, the community safety concerns that we’re hearing about,” Boileau said.

With more than 1,200 people attending last week’s town hall and more viewing it online, Boileau’s recap report compiled the meeting’s top takeaways.

Crime prevention, public safety, drug-related litter and advocacy for bail reform were some of the highlights.

They are all issues she said require support from upper levels of government, which the report will help with.

“We’re really hoping that that will make a bit of an impact, when we’re before government representatives, asking for adequate resources and support,” Boileau said.

The city is developing a more detailed report to highlight the work being done, she added.

Coun. Steve Black said he’ll be exploring relocating living space.

“I think an all-inclusive facility that has the residential component to it, where people can have a safe place to get out of the weather or the cold, in the winter and have a place to stay,” Black said.

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“But also having food services available on-site. Instead of sending people back out on the streets and asking them to find the next facility.”

Boileau said matters like hiring city-wide nighttime security and expanding safety grants for businesses will be finalized in the near future. 

You can read the full report here.