Mushkegowuk Council has brought together regional leaders in an effort to establish an enhanced, district-wide response to homelessness through a coalition-based approach.

This gathering, held Tuesday in Timmins, saw the formation of a Community Leadership Table, bringing together First Nation and municipal leaders, and regional system representatives.

Their goal was to identify shared priorities and strengthen their collective efforts to address homelessness within Indigenous communities and in municipalities throughout Cochrane District.

“Today represents an important step in how we work together,” said Mushkegowuk Grand Chief Leo Friday. “Homelessness is not limited to one community or one system. It is shaped by complex lived realities, including housing challenges, displacement, poverty, and the lasting impacts of colonial systems. Our responsibility is to ensure that our response is grounded in respect, truth and the voices of our people.”

The discussion around the table cited current statistics which show that homelessness in the Cochrane District has increased significantly in recent years. Since 2023, the number of individuals experiencing homelessness has grown by approximately 137%, far outpacing provincial trends.

As of late 2025, nearly 500 individuals were actively experiencing homelessness in the Cochrane District, while only around 140 shelter beds were available – highlighting a critical and growing gap between need and system capacity.

In late November 2025, Mushkegowuk Council declared a State of Emergency related to homelessness, housing instability, and wellness, recognizing the issue as a territory-wide priority requiring immediate and coordinated action.

A key focus of the meeting was the need to move beyond fragmented responses to a more coordinated, system-wide approach that reflects how people move across communities, services, and jurisdictions throughout the territory.

“I want to thank Mushkegowuk Council for bringing leaders together in this way,” said Timmins Mayor Michelle Boileau, who also serves as chair of the Cochrane District Services Board. “Today’s discussions were an important step in strengthening how First Nation and municipal partners work together to address homelessness. There is a clear commitment at this table to continue this work, align our efforts, and build on the progress started today.”

The Community Leadership Table is part of a broader coalition model designed to strengthen coordination and accountability across the region. This includes:

• The Community Leadership Table (CLT) for strategic direction and alignment;
• The Community Leads Network (CLN) for system design and coordination; and
• The Homelessness Response Partner Group (HRPG) for frontline service coordination and real-time response.

It was noted during the meeting that significant work is already underway, including partner engagement across communities, housing development exploration, strengthened coordination among service providers, and the development of a region-wide strategy-and-implementation plan targeted for completion by the end of this year.

“This is about shared responsibility,” added Grand Chief Friday. “It is about ensuring that no one community carries this alone, and that together, we can build a system that supports our people with dignity, stability, and connection.”

Mushkegowuk Council is a regional organization that represents the collective interests of the Kashechewan, Fort Albany, Chapleau Cree, Missanabie Cree, Moose Cree, Taykwa Tagamou and Attawapiskat First Nations in northeastern Ontario.