Whereas the City of Sault Ste. Marie contributes a significant annual levy to the District Social Services Administration Board (DSSAB) in support of programs and services including housing, Ontario Works, and child care; and
Whereas DSSAB expenditures form a material portion of the City of Sault Ste. Marie’s budget and directly affect the tax levy paid by residents; and
Whereas the City of Sault Ste. Marie, like many communities across Ontario, has experienced a marked increase in homelessness, housing insecurity, and related social pressures that require coordinated responses between municipal government, DSSAB, and community partners; and
Whereas Council recognizes the establishment of the HART (Homelessness Assistance Response Team) Hub as an important initiative in addressing urgent community needs, and wishes to better understand its funding, operations, and long-term sustainability within the broader DSSAB budget framework; and
Whereas City Council has a responsibility to ensure transparency, accountability, and effective stewardship of taxpayer funds allocated to external agencies, and to ensure that resources directed toward homelessness response and prevention achieve measurable outcomes
Now Therefore Be It Resolved That Sault Ste. Marie City Council formally request that representatives of the District Social Services Administration Board be summoned to attend and deliver a presentation during the City’s annual budget proceedings.