MICRO SOLUTION TO A MACRO PROBLEM

 MICRO SOLUTION TO A
MACRO PROBLEM
By Joe Ingino
Editor/Publisher

“I live a dream in a nightmare world”   

    Why is it that it appears that  our elected official will not do something without some sort of political gain.    This week The Region of Durham is partnering with Lakeridge Health, Ontario Tech University and Durham College on the Oshawa Micro-Housing Pilot Project.
  A 10 modular home complex smack in an already economically depressed area of Oshawa.   Does that sound to you like good planning.  It is obvious that in Oshawa we have a huge homeless problem. Not to mention all the folks living on the edge of economic bankruptcy as they can’t afford the exuberant rents landlords are asking now a day.
  The attempt to find a solution is nothing short of an insult to those that need homes now.  To me this is nothing but yet another attempt by the University to use the people of Oshawa for their benefit.
Durham Regional Chair John Henry says the partnership between the region and Lakeridge Health, Ontario Tech University and Durham College will support the success of the Oshawa Micro-Housing Pilot Project by ensuring participants have access to the supports and services they may need.
“No one should get left behind or fall through the cracks, and, by working collaboratively with our community partners, we can end chronic homelessness in Durham Region,” says Henry.
  He has to be kidding.   ‘NO ONE SHOULD BE LEFT BEHIND’.  Really.   So with 10 modules you will serve the need of the homeless?
When the need is 1000 time more to say the least... but wait let’s let the good self appointed academia treat our people like ginea pigs in order to extract research grants from the Feds.  
This insane micro solution does not even come close to alleviating the real Macro problem we are facing in Oshawa.   
The evaluation plan will be led by Dr. Tyler Frederick, associate professor at Ontario Tech University, who is partnering with the region in-kind to develop this plan and apply for research funding.
Here is the truth.  This is not about the poor of Oshawa. This is not about the homeless.  This is about the OTU looking for ways to bleed the government for grants.
  This is what I would do.  First we have to assure that whatever we do.  We do it with the notion of maintaining the integrity of the area and the property values around it.  I propose we take back our lands that GM claims to be theirs.   DID YOU KNOW THAT THE GM LANDS ARE THAT OF THE PEOPLE OF OSHAWA.   THE DEAL WAS THAT FOR AS LONG AS GM PRODUCED CARS.  THEY HAD A ONE DOLLAR A YEAR LEASE AS THE PROPERTIES WERE GIVEN TO THE CITY BY MCLAUGHLIN.   With this said. I as your City Mayor would take back the lands from GM.   Primarily the GM pain line.   Turn that whole area into 20-30 level complex and offer them scheduled rental amounts.  This eliminating the treatment of less fortunate as second class citizens.  Take the rent right out of their social service cheques.   Offer the opportunity to dig themselves out of poverty by helping them secure a proper way of living.  Standards would be set in order to assure the property would be kept up.  The current security force the City employ would be used to assure safety and security.  Those suffering from addiction or mental health issues would become by mandate awards of the hospital until such time as the hospital would take liability in the event of an episode at the stated facility.  As it stands... sure the hospital the university will partner up... they have nothing to loose and all to gain.  This Micro solution is an insult to those suffering the real Macro problem.