Oshawa homelessness plans offered by seven mayoral candidates range from expanding supportive housing and treatment to pursuing federal funding and creating more transitional accommodation.
The positions appear in written responses published October 19 by DurhamRegion.com. The newspaper asked all nine mayoral candidates the same question about affordable and transitional housing and services for people experiencing homelessness. Jim Lee and Joseph Tomlins did not respond by its deadline.
Each answer was limited to 100 words. These are candidates’ proposals, not approved municipal programmes, verified cost estimates or findings that any suggested eligibility restriction could legally be implemented. The City of Oshawa’s official candidate page confirms the mayoral field.
Housing and funding proposals
Sherland Chhangur says he would seek affordable units within new residential developments and use development-charge revenue from northern subdivisions for transitional housing on vacant downtown municipal land. He also proposes seeking support from federal officials and Build Canada Homes, as well as provincial funding. His response does not establish that funding or a particular city property has been approved.
Derek Giberson argues for directing city and regional resources toward supportive housing that includes social supports and addiction treatment. He describes that approach as a way to reduce reliance on emergency response, enforcement and crisis services, while pressing senior governments to contribute more.
Tito-Dante Marimpietri proposes bringing municipal officials, housing providers and community agencies together within his first 30 days as mayor to identify projects that could advance and address approval barriers. His priorities include outreach, mental-health and addiction care, crisis response and routes into permanent housing, with responsibilities and measurable goals.
Prevention, recovery and coordination
Michael Coons emphasizes preventing people from losing housing as well as helping those already experiencing homelessness. He points to food-security partnerships and proposes greater Oshawa involvement in local service delivery through an arrangement with Durham Region.
His longer-term proposal is a recovery campus linking transitional accommodation with treatment, health care and employment services. Coons also raises a managed temporary site during warmer months as an alternative to repeatedly moving encampments, while working toward year-round transitional housing.
Henry Onwuachu says Durham Region and senior governments must recognize the demands placed on Oshawa. He supports more transitional and supportive housing, treatment, outreach, case management and employment pathways, with better coordination among agencies.
Onwuachu also calls for tracking outcomes, including how many people move into housing, receive treatment and progress toward independence. His response frames those measures as a way to assess whether spending is helping people rather than maintaining the same conditions.
Other approaches in the questionnaire
Jeremy Large proposes 1,000 downtown housing units at a stated $300,000 each, accommodating roughly 2,500 people along Celina and Albert streets. He also supports expanding transitional housing and proposes restricting access to people who previously lived in Oshawa. Those figures and restrictions are his claims and proposals, not independently verified costs or adopted service rules.
Dave Westlake supports transitional housing, reviewing bylaws to support it and seeking a larger share of senior-government capital grants. He also emphasizes neighbourhood safety around facilities.
The questionnaire concerns housing and service priorities, separately from earlier reporting on downtown-cleanup proposals and the mayoral debate. Oshawa residents vote in the municipal election on October 26. Official election information and candidate details are available through the city.
