Letter to City of Thunder Bay to Declare State of Emergency on Homelessness

January 23, 2026

Mayor Ken Boshcoff, and City Council
City of Thunder Bay
500 Donald St. E
Thunder Bay, ON
P7C5K4
Via Email: ken.boshcoff@thunderbay.ca

Re: Declaration of Emergency on Homelessness

We are writing today to call on the City of Thunder Bay to declare a State of Emergency on Homelessness.

This crisis has gone on long enough. There will be people sleeping outside tonight as the temperatures reach dangerous levels. People are dying in the streets, in public parks, in bus shelters. We need to be honest and call this what it is: an emergency.

We recognize Thunder Bay cannot solve this alone, and there needs to be increased resources from all levels of government. We are willing to be there and work alongside you, but it is your responsibility to call for help. The lives of many of our people are at stake, and this needs to be treated with the urgency that it deserves. This declaration is the least you can do to show that the lives of people experiencing homelessness in the city matter.

We are willing to meeting with you once you have issued the Declaration of Emergency, and we are committed to work with you, and all other partners who have called for this declaration, on how it will be implemented.
We look forward to hearing back from you as soon as possible.

Sincerely,
Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler Chief Michele Solomon
Nishnawbe Aski Nation Fort William First Nation
cc. NAN Executive
Leonie BlackCat, Housing and Homelessness Coalition
Colleen Peters, Housing and Homelessness Coalition
Holly Gauvin, Elevate NWO
Mitchell Argue, Native People of Thunder Bay Development Corporation
Bonnie Krysowaty, Lakehead Social Planning Council

For more information please contact:
Michael Heintzman,
Director of Communications
Cell: (807) 621-2790
mheintzman@nan.ca