Group demands urgent help for ‘broken and underfunded’ health care in northern Ontario

A group in Sioux Lookout, Ont., says it is working to fill gaps in the town but 'adequate funding' from other levels of government is still 'urgently required.'

A health group is calling for more funding and help for a local network trying to help people struggling with both homelessness and addiction in a northern Ontario town.

The Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority (SLFNHA) said it was working in a “broken and underfunded health and mental health system,” trying to help people impacted by mental health and addictions.

The group is based in Sioux Lookout, a town in Ontario’s north that acts as a hub for more than 30 surrounding First Nations communities. Its airport and hospital, in particular, bring tens of thousands to the town every year for appointments.

Data from the local Ontario Provincial Police detachment shows police arrest an average of 4,150 people every year. The number is a stark illustration of how busy officers are in a town of just under 6,000 people and another 25,000-plus people who fly in.

Insp. Karl Duewel, local OPP detachment commander, says the arrest numbers come from the town’s unique situation. He told Global News police often take intoxicated people to the station, keeping them in cells overnight.

“The concern that we have is that, when you’re on the street and things like that happen, you’re very, very susceptible to victimization,” he said.

“And we’re now in the winter months again and there’s not a lot of places for people to go when they’re highly intoxicated where they’ll be accepted and allowed to go.”

In a statement, SLFNHA said police are only involved in situations when “safety is a concern” for those involved, with efforts made to get people back into shelters.