Ford allocates New Deal funding to safety on transit, asylum seekers

Premier Doug Ford announced that the province will be funnelling $88 million to improve safety on Ottawa’s transit system, in the ByWard Market and help asylum seekers and people experiencing homelessness.

The funding is a part of the $543 million announced back in March as a part of the New Deal, a “historic” agreement between the province and Ottawa that recognizes the unique challenges the city faces.

The remarks came during the Economic Club of Canada forum just before Ford sat down with Ottawa’s Mayor Mark Sutcliffe.

“We continue to call on the federal government to be an active partner in the success of our nation’s capital,” Ford said at the conference. “With our historic New Deal for Ottawa, our government is demonstrating our ongoing support and commitment to the success of Ottawa and all of Eastern Ontario.”

The announcement in March from the New Deal notes the funding will be tailored to Ottawa’s economic recovery, homelessness, addressing crime and repairing roadways like Highway 174.

Tuesday’s comments from Ford piggybacks off the previous funding and allocates specifically $48 million over three years to address violent crime, mental health issues and substance use, particularly in the ByWard Market area.

There are seven initiatives that follow the city’s approval of the Public Safety Plan that will increase the number of uniformed OC Transpo special constables, implement community-based outreach programs and offer mental health support. It also establishes a police operation centre near the ByWard Market to address crime in the downtown core.

The $40 million, set to support the city in 2024-25, will go to address the influx of asylum seekers the city is seeing and the rising number of people experiencing homelessness.

The Ottawa Mission says it has seen unprecedented levels of homelessness in Ottawa over the last year, a situation made worse by the increasing number of people seeking refuge.