Ontario Tim Hortons store closes dine-in area over safety concerns amid calls for increased resources

As Ontario continues to see a major escalation in issues surrounding mental health and addictions, some say a decision at an Oshawa Tim Hortons to stop dine-in eating further underscores a need for more funding and resources.

A Facebook post by Oshawa Coun. Brian Nicholson, who represents Ward 5 at the City and at the Region of Durham, shared on Wednesday that the situation at the Tim Hortons on Simcoe Street South regarding personal safety had deteriorated “to the point that in-store service was terminated.”

“The business, city security and DRPS (Durham Regional Police Service) were active in trying to address the issue but the amount of negative [behaviour] overwhelmed the response. It was the last decision that the business wanted to make but they had to put staff and customer safety first,” Nicholson wrote in part.

The post garnered several comments and shares on the social media platform.

“It was designed to be an information piece just to let people know, ‘We don’t want you to walk in for five or six blocks with your kids and find that place closed.’ It took on a life of its own to say the least,” Nicholson told CityNews during an interview Friday afternoon.

“There are some people who had political agendas who wanted to simply attack the homeless or attack addiction. That was never the intent. The intent was to say, ‘Look, we’ve got an issue. We’re dealing with it, we’re not ignoring it, and everyone’s working hard to find solutions.'”

He praised the staff at the location, adding they stepped up to provide coffee and food to some people experiencing homelessness and addiction who began visiting the location.

“Your humanity and your compassion is tested,” Nicholson said, estimating a small fraction of overall visitors are creating issues.

“Unfortunately it’s gotten to the point now where there are some minor group of individuals who are really abusing the operation and they’re abusing staff, and abusing customers and they’re making it untenable for this business to operate.”

Nicholson said examples of negative behaviours included individuals who blocked cars to ask for money. He also cited a recent incident where someone allegedly had a Taser and threatened staff and visitors.

“Even with security there, it was overwhelmed,” Richardson said.

He said the store’s owner reopened access to the store on Thursday so people could buy food and drinks.

On Friday, CityNews visited the Simcoe Street South location. A sign on the front door said the lobby opens at 8 a.m. daily and noted there is “no in-store dining.” Inside the location, yellow caution tape and tables with similar signage blocked access to the seating area. During the brief visit Friday afternoon, no one was seen engaging in the behaviours described by Nicholson.

CityNews contacted the corporate offices for Tim Hortons on Friday to ask for comment about the situation. A response wasn’t received as of Friday evening.

To better understand the scope of the problems from a law enforcement perspective at the store location, CityNews contacted Durham Regional Police officers on Friday to ask about safety issues and actions taken to date.

A spokesperson told CityNews in a statement officers “have been there before as well as numerous locations throughout downtown Oshawa related to drug use,” but further statistical information wasn’t immediately available.

Nicholson said there is a larger problem that needs to be addressed.

“With the lack of shelter space, the lack of mental health supports and addiction supports, these people are left to their own devices,” he said.

“They’re freezing in the cold, so the only places they can go is to your local Tim Hortons or your restaurant. Governments, especially the provincial level, are not putting sufficient funds to address this issue and they’re dumping it on the local level of government and we don’t have the ability to resolve this problem.”

When it comes to advocating for additional funding and resources from the provincial and federal governments, Nicholson was frustrated.

“It’s like talking to a brick wall. They simply don’t understand the concept of need. It’s frustrating for you at the local level. I will say that we have the will but not the money. They have the money but not the will,” he said while also citing billions in healthcare transfers to the Government of Ontario from the Government of Canada.

“We can’t keep treating the symptoms. We have got to have sufficient funds to solve the problem. So we have to address mental health. We have to address homelessness. We have to address addiction services. We can simply keep abandoning this to the local-tier government which doesn’t have the ability or the funds to meet this need.”

Nicholson encouraged residents to petition provincial political representatives for help.

CityNews contacted Jennifer French, the NDP MPP who represents Oshawa, to ask about the situation. She wasn’t available for an interview on Friday. A statement sent from French Friday evening through a spokesperson didn’t address the situation at Tim Hortons but said the opposition has been pushing for stronger mental health care.

“When it comes to affordable and supportive housing, the provincial government is asleep at the switch,” she wrote.

“They aren’t doing enough and in communities like Oshawa, people are really hurting.”

The Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences is the major mental health hospital in the Durham region. It provides various specialty inpatient and outpatient services.

Andrea Marshall, the organization’s vice-president of communications and patient experience, told CityNews in an interview Friday afternoon that staff and volunteers can’t meet the demand for help. She said it “far outweighs” the resources on hand.

“Like everybody, we’re seeing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic the mental health crisis and the needs for mental health services are on the rise everywhere and so Durham Region, Ontario is no exception to that,” she said.

“I think there’s multiple factors at play. Of course, we hear a lot about health human resource shortages, especially the burnout of healthcare workers after the pandemic. So yes, absolutely more health human resources and the resources and supports for those healthcare workers in addition to more funding, greater system coordination as well would be really important.”

CityNews contacted Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones’ office Friday afternoon to ask about the situation in Oshawa and the needs expressed by Ontario Shores. An Ontario Ministry of Health spokesperson didn’t directly answer those questions in a statement sent a short time later.

“Our government is supporting the mental health and wellbeing of all Ontarians through the Roadmap to Wellness, our plan to build a modern, world-class mental health and addictions system.  Since 2019, we have invested $525 million in a range of addiction treatment services and supports,” the statement said.

“Additionally, in response to the pandemic’s impact on substance use, our government is implementing the Addictions Recovery Fund — a one-time investment of $90 million over three years to boost capacity in addictions services, adding 500 new addiction treatment beds.”

The statement also referenced a five per cent increase in base funding for “community-based mental health and addiction support.” There were no figures included on how much funding is currently allocated to the Durham Region.

Meanwhile, Nicholson said despite the issues at the Simcoe Street South Tim Hortons store it’s not representative of the nearby community.

“This is a great neighbourhood. This area is very much a progressive neighbourhood. Around here you’ll see new businesses everywhere,” he said.