Spring has finally sprung, after nearly two weeks of dreary weather. This means community events have kicked into high gear, and I am seeing so many of you at festivals, AGMs, markets and fundraisers.
Sometimes the solutions we need are right in front of us. That is what I was thinking about when we hosted the amazing team from Operation Come Home two weeks ago.
Many of you have connected with my office in recent weeks about the concerns surrounding the Northwood Clinic on Somerset West and the uptick in public drug use and diversion nearby.
The best part of my job is that I get to learn about so many things all at once. It is also the most challenging. On any given day, I may need to shift gears 10 times, focusing on issues from the seemingly mundane (potholes and garbage collection) to the more profound (how to end homelessness and tackle addiction).
You know what they say, there are two seasons in Canada: winter and construction. And just as all the snow is finally drying up, you can expect to see cranes, diggers and other heavy equipment all over Centretown. Living through construction can be enormously frustrating, but the benefits of major infrastructure investments in the downtown core will improve our quality of life for generations.
I have been hearing a lot from people in Chinatown, who are very concerned about a dramatic increase in public drug use over the last two weeks. Two issues have really created a perfect storm – one where the cause and the solution are entirely in the hands of the provincial government.