Small Community Solutions Conference Offers Lots of Hope
Speakers share what's working to tackle homelessness, addictions, and poverty locally and from other small Canadian communities
Pizza is part of the solution.
That was just one takeaway from pages of notes I took at yesterday’s Small Community Solutions Conference at the Harmony Centre in Owen Sound.
I smiled thinking of how many community events we have held with pizza, long before we ever owned a pizza restaurant. The message that Lori Pyne, Executive Director of Squamish Helping Hands was sharing was that people connect and bond over food, so we can’t discount the importance of it. Even as she joked that pizza had been mentioned four times during the day by various presenters.
There were a lot of themes the day touched on.
Empathy and grace, not only for the people who are experiencing a difficult time in life, but the people trying to help them.
Collaboration across lanes and working outside the traditional boundaries.
Being neighbourly and responsible to one another.
Ending stigma.
The final theme is one I found myself thinking a lot about throughout the day.
The program was all about addressing some of the wicked challenges that Grey Bruce is facing; homelessness, the opioid epidemic, harm reduction, youth poverty and food insecurity were some of the main issues.
These issues are not unique to our region, nor are they only “Owen Sound problems”, even though they are much more visible in Owen Sound.
And despite what some would like to believe, they are definitely issues which have lead to a perception of Owen Sound that is not positive.
“Stigma is perpetuated by ignorance and misinformation,” Said Kevin McNabb, Grey County Director of Paramedic Services and recent King Charles III Coronation Medal recipient as he was sharing information about the award-winning Supportive Outreach Services (SOS) program developed in partnership with United Way Grey Bruce and many, many stakeholders — the list of agencies and partners covers a whole slide from local polices services to CMHA to the hospitals, food banks, municipalities, counties and more.
Maybe the room was largely converts, but I certainly learned a lot yesterday, which makes me a better community leader. Better understanding the issues, I can now contextualize it better, even within our community and know who is doing what.
If nothing else, I can hopefully help reduce some of the stigma by correcting misinformation.
For example, I knew very little about Safe ‘N Sound or the harm reduction work they do. More than once, speakers pointed out that harm reduction is far more than safe supply — it could mean clean socks or bed to sleep in, for example.
“We cannot say harm reduction does not work because we haven’t resourced it properly in our community to say it doesn’t work,” Said Annette Pedlar, Executive Director or Safe ‘N Sound.
“If we only gave our fire departments buckets and then lost a lot of buildings to fires, we wouldn’t say that fire departments don’t work. We would give them proper tools to fight fires.” Annette Pedlar.
How much do we spend making sure our fire departments are equipped and prepared to deal with emergencies, which may only impact a handful of people in our communities? Why do we treat mental health and addictions care any differently?
It’s a good question and one we should give consideration too. Fentanyl and the opioid epidemic is not only a problem south of the border or for “big cities”. It exists here too. In 2024, there were 124 opioid poisonings in Grey County, of which, 100 were in Owen Sound.
While stopping fentanyl and other substances poisoning the street drug supply is an effort needing more conversation unto itself, yesterday’s event was clearly focused on what can be done on the front line.
We certainly need a multi-pronged approach but what is clear is we also need to suspend judgement and be more open minded.
SOS and the supportive and transitional housing projects that Grey County has embarked on are proof these initiatives help people out of homelessness and poverty. But they took massive leaps of faith to get off the ground and a willingness to allow people the grace of being human.
Things don’t always go perfectly and there isn’t a silver bullet to fix many of these issues.
If you have ever known an alcoholic, you will know the road to recovery is not an easy one. There are relapses and let downs. What’s important is the small steps and getting up each day to start fresh and celebrate the gift of a new day.
“Homelessness is a solvable issue. It was a series of actions which got us here and it will be a series of community actions that will lead us out of it.” Peddler urged the audience.
Actions like the Community Foundation of Grey Bruce Youth Rent Supplements. This program provides $350 rent supplements to youth aged 16-24 to help them secure and afford safe housing in the community. Added community building and mentorship aspects of the program provide these youth with valuable life skills.
The program came out of the Foundation’s Vital Signs on youth report which found homelessness is an issue among youth. During a 2024 count of homelessness in Grey Bruce, there were 45 youth aged 16-24 in Grey County experiencing homelessness, according to the January 2025 update from the Bruce Grey Poverty Reduction Task Force.
Those wanting to support the program can do so by donating to the Foundation’s Next 25 Years Fund, which contributes to the program.
I certainly left yesterday with renewed hope there are many people in Owen Sound who care and want to see better for the community.
I don’t even live in Owen Sound, but as someone who visits often for services, recreation and shopping, I also want better for it. I guess I feel some of that neighbourly responsibility. This is our regional hub— shouldn’t we want it to thrive?
After all, if Owen Sound shines, we will also benefit from that glow.
Another part is more selfish— I want Owen Sound to be a place that I want to visit and enjoy going too.
When I lived in Ottawa, the Bank Street BIA supported a program that offered outreach and intervention with the local unhoused population. I often felt a similar program would work well in Owen Sound, if there was the willingness and someone took the initiative to organize it.
Yesterday, we learned that Safe N Sound has been trying to get a similar project off the ground for over a year. Modelled after the Unity Project in Peterborough, the project would provide outreach workers to intervene, de-escalate or provide assistance to individuals who may be in distress and causing a concern to business owners.
It’s a supportive approach and seems like a no-brainer. I would wager it’s a far better investment than more banners and benches downtown.
Pyne left us with the advice she learned from Squamish First Nation elders: “Nature has rights, humans have responsibilities.”
A fitting reminder for the times we live in and the responsibility we owe to each other as neighbours and fellow humans.
What are Some Actions Your Can Take?
Get to know your neighbours. Lori Pine recommended thinking of yourself at the centre of a tic-tac-toe board and learning the names of the eight people who live around you.
Learn more about the issues to combat misinformation. There are several upcoming “Drug Awareness & Trafficking” Town halls coming up across the region.
Support the organizations doing this work. If you’re able to give financially, consider setting up a recurring monthly donation. These are so valuable to charities as they provide stable, reliable funding to continue providing these programs rather than waiting for one big donation at the end of the year.
These organizations are also always looking for volunteers. There are a range of opportunities. Visit their websites to learn more.
Visit and support the organizations in your own community. Connections and relationships are vital to us as individuals, and we have many great organizations, like our legions and service clubs, striving to provide space for people to connect and be together. Check them out and support them and consider what gift you can bring to these relationships.
Terrific notes, thank you
Thanks Jen for sharing this valuable information.