Barrie mayor reflects on lessons learned from Alberta trip regarding homelessness challenges

Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall says Alberta’s approach to homelessness could serve as a roadmap for addressing the ongoing crisis.

Nuttall recently took a trip to Alberta in February could help reshape how Ontario — and even the rest of the country — address homelessness, addiction and mental health challenges.

He and a city hall staffer travelled to Alberta to meet with provincial officials and learn how the province responds to homelessness. Alberta’s approach emphasizes recovery-based treatment, early intervention and coordinated enforcement, with a focus on addressing root causes.

The province pairs faster encampment responses with expanded access to detox, recovery programs, supportive housing and integrated outreach teams that include police, health professionals and social workers.

“Alberta is a leader on the national stage when it comes to how to deal with addictions and homelessness,” Nuttall said.

“The Alberta model is a legitimate one. I believe it should be the Canadian model – I think that there is a ton of positive things that they’ve done so far.”

Nuttall said a key takeaway was Alberta’s focus on rehabilitation within correctional facilities. He pointed to programs that separate individuals seeking treatment from the general prison population and provide on-site recovery services.

“The idea that you can go into prison and, instead of perpetuating drug use and violence, you have the opportunity to get clean through a rehab facility on site is a key piece of what I learned there – we need to bring it to Ontario,” he said.

He also highlighted Alberta’s willingness to intervene earlier when individuals cannot make decisions about their own health due to severe addiction or mental illness. He said earlier intervention could help prevent overdoses and reduce long-term homelessness.

“That makes a lot of sense. It’s an intervention at an earlier stage than an overdose,” he said.

“We want individuals to get rehabilitation, find a new beginning, a new future and a path forward.”

Another element that stood out to Nuttall was the possibility of diverting individuals into treatment at the point of arrest, rather than sending them to jail where negative behaviours may continue.

“Having the ability to intercede at the point of an arrest so that individual doesn’t go to jail and instead gets rehabilitative work done is key,” he said.

Nuttall said he hopes Alberta representatives will visit Barrie to share details with local and provincial leaders. He noted the city has made progress, including reducing encampments and expanding services, but challenges remain.

“Barrie is one of the cleanest cities of all of our cities in Ontario at the moment, yet I know what we struggle with day in and day out in terms of mental health and addictions,” he said.

“We need to figure out how to properly meet the day, don’t leave anybody behind, and help individuals heal and move forward.”

Nuttall added that Alberta officials expressed surprise at Barrie’s progress in reducing encampments, noting there was “a little bit of disbelief” at the city’s current situation. He said the exchange reinforced the value of collaboration between jurisdictions.

On Sept. 9, 2025, Barrie declared a state of emergency in response to addressing homeless encampments on city owned properties.