The Mayor of Belleville has issued his condolences and provided some more information on what he calls a “tragic death” in the city’s downtown core last week.
Belleville Police were called to the former Hotel Quinte property at Bridge and Pinnacle Streets on March 2, where the man was found dead.
During Monday’s council meeting, Mayor Mitch Panciuk said the man and his spouse had been brought to the city by Napanee OPP, suggesting he use the warming centre in the former Belleville Police Station, but the man allegedly chose not to use the centre because of some of the rules in place there.
Panciuk says the city will continue to do what it can to support those who are facing homelessness in the community and is calling on the province to do more.
“$14.2 million through Hastings County for housing and emergency services. We spend over $300,000 a year when it comes to comes to community groups that help with mental health and poverty and then we also make an annual $50,000 contribution to the Grace Inn Shelter. We do more than any other community in our region, we’ve done more than any other council in the history of Belleville.”
Along with reinforcing the city’s commitment to the vulnerable sector, Panciuk is calling on the Provincial Government to provide more supports in dealing with mental health and addictions issues.
He also says a toxicology report on the man who died is set to be released in the coming days, with police able to provide more details on what happened, at that point.
More discussion on mental health and addictions issues will be had on Tuesday, when the city hosts a mental health, addictions and policing forum, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
