If you ask just about any mayor of a Canadian town or city, a police officer, a paramedic, or a handful of citizens what the number one problem in their hometown is, you will invariably get the same answer: homelessness and drugs.
Pembroke is no different in that regard, and one citizen has decided to do something about it.
Krista Zingel is a 4-year resident of Pembroke and is well known as a staunch advocate for mental health, the eradication of drugs, and the fight against homelessness in the city. Zingel has penned a letter addressed to Mayor Ron Gervais and city council, MPP Billy Denault, and MP Cheryl Gallant, calling for a state of emergency to be declared in the City of Pembroke.
The letter happens to coincide with a recent overdose alert issued by the Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) last week where there was an increase in overdoses and suspected overdose-related deaths in the Renfrew and Arnprior area.
myFM sat down with Ms. Zingel for an in-depth interview recently.
In a study conducted in Pembroke in 2023, dubbed the county’s “Point-in-Time Survey,” it was determined that just over one-fifth of the county’s homeless population attribute their situation to intimate partner violence, while an equal number cite the breakdown of a relationship. Evictions of various types account for 34 per cent. Further to that, 56 per cent live with mental illness. Almost half have a medical illness, and 42 per cent report some form of substance abuse.*
In a letter written by MPP Billy Denault dated January 15, 2026, and copied to Ms. Zingel, Denault states in part that:
“In Renfrew County, the province provides approximately $3.6 million in 2025–26 through the Homelessness Prevention Program to support housing stability, invests $6.3 million annually in the Renfrew County Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment Hub, and has increased funding for local paramedic services by 22 per cent this year, bringing that investment to $13.4 million. The province has also invested in community safety and policing supports, including mobile crisis response teams that support the Pembroke OPP Detachment.”
Const. Shawn Peever, Upper Ottawa Valley OPP community engagement officer, writes in part in response to Ms. Zingel’s letter:
“The OPP supports any action or initiative by government(s) and the community aimed at increasing public safety and community wellness. The issues of homelessness, mental health, and addiction are complex societal issues that affect many individuals in our community and across our province. Factors contributing to these issues stem from broader societal challenges outside the scope of law enforcement. As such, the OPP supports a co-ordinated response and welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with community and government partners to address these important issues.”
Pembroke Mayor Ron Gervais also sat down with myFM following receipt of Ms. Zingel’s letter to address some of the overarching issues raised.
In a December 2025 article released by The Canadian Press, it was reported that as many as 29 mayors of Ontario cities called on the province to declare a state of emergency due to homelessness and drug addiction.
The mayors’ caucus said municipalities covered more than half of the $4.1 billion spent on homelessness and housing programs in 2024. The caucus chair said addressing homelessness should not rely on property taxes, but added municipalities are stepping up because it is unacceptable to allow people to suffer on the streets.**
A separate study released in January of last year by the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) found that in Ontario alone, more than 81,000 people are experiencing homelessness, representing a 35 per cent increase from the previous year.***
(Written By: Richard Evans)
Credits:
*Rick Stow – MBC – November 23rd, 2023
** Sharif Hassan – The Canadian Press – December 06, 2025
*** CAEH – January 13, 2025