Thunder Bay Indigenous Leaders Urge Mayor to Address Homelessness

Indigenous leaders in Thunder Bay have sent an open letter to the city’s mayor, urging him to declare a state of emergency regarding homelessness.

The letter, issued on Friday and signed by Fort William First Nation Chief Michelle Solomon and Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler, comes during a prolonged cold snap in northwestern Ontario. Extreme cold warnings have been active for much of the region since last week and continue as of Monday morning.

“The crisis has gone on long enough. There will be people sleeping outside [Friday] as the temperatures reach dangerous levels. People are dying in the streets, in public parks, in bus shelters,” reads the letter.

Along with declaring an emergency, Fiddler and Solomon want Thunder Bay Mayor Ken Boshcoff to request more resources from other government levels, stating it’s his duty to “call for help.”

Alvin Fiddler is the Grand Chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation in northern Ontario. He penned a letter with Fort William First Nation Chief Michelle Solomon, calling on the Thunder Bay mayor to declare a state of emergency. (Ivanoh Demers/Radio-Canada)

The 2025 Thunder Bay Point in Time Count completed in October recorded 652 individuals experiencing homelessness in Thunder Bay. According to the Lakehead Social Planning Council, 130 people were staying in an encampment, while 47 others were outside but not part of any encampment.

The previous year’s Point in Time Count indicated that 78 percent of those reporting homelessness in Thunder Bay identified as Indigenous.

“The declaration is the least you can do to show that the lives of people experiencing homelessness in the city matter. We are willing to [meet] with you once you have issued the Declaration of Emergency, and we are committed to work with you, and all other partners who have for this declaration, on how it will be implemented,” reads the letter.

Boshcoff provided an emailed statement to CBC Thunder Bay Monday, acknowledging receipt of their letter.

“I will carefully consider their comments, discuss with Council, and then reply accordingly,” he said.

Similar calls made in December

In December 2025, harm reduction agency Elevate NWO released a statement urging both the mayor and city council to declare a state of emergency over housing and homelessness issues.

The executive director at that time stated she wanted to see the city activate an indoor emergency response for those living outdoors while collaborating with the province on using vacant housing stock effectively and approving three Indigenous-led housing projects proposed by Native People of Thunder Bay Development Corporation.

The city along with TBDSSAB responded back then by acknowledging that there was urgency around addressing homelessness within our community.

However, they noted that declaring a municipal state of emergency alone wouldn’t provide new tools or solutions for tackling these issues.

“It does not guarantee additional funding from other orders of government nor does it authorize the city to redirect private industry or override market forces,” reads a joint statement issued by both entities back in December.

City activates severe weather response plan

This past Friday saw City officials reinforce their messaging about cold weather responses while sharing resources available at local shelters and warming services throughout Thunder Bay area communities.

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