City of Owen Sound Shifts Focus of Downtown Safety Meeting and Imposes Conditions on Media Access
Business concerns sparked the meeting—now it’s invite-only, media are restricted, and the City’s reframing raises doubts about whether business owners' concerns will truly be heard.
The City of Owen Sound has invited local media to attend a meeting on downtown safety and business conditions—particularly concerning open drug use—on the condition that journalists RSVP in advance and agree to participate “as community stakeholders rather than in a strictly reporting capacity.”
Media have also been asked to “honour any requests for confidentiality that may arise during the meeting.” An Editor’s Note outlining our position on these conditions follows below.
The invite-only event that the City is now calling “A Community Stakeholder Discussion to Foster a Vibrant River District” is happening on Monday, July 28, from 7-9 p.m. at Harmony Centre.
The meeting will take place nearly three months after the Owen Sound Police Services Board (OSPSB) requested that City Council convene a discussion on business conditions and public safety in the downtown core.
Police Board Requests Meeting to Discuss Downtown Business Conditions
The Police Service Board passed a motion at its April 23 meeting to write a letter requesting that City Council “convene a meeting with the River District Board, the Chamber of Commerce, and all downtown business owners to discuss current business conditions in downtown Owen Sound.”
The request came out of a discussion about downtown safety concerns in which Board Chair John Thomson pointed out he had never before seen Owen Sound business owners forced to lock their doors to control access and unwanted entry to their shops, as is now the case.
Thomson questioned whether open drug use downtown could be curbed by applying the City’s Nuisance Bylaw alongside a renewed commitment to police enforcement of possession for use charges, in keeping with updated guidance from the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police.
The board’s motion for the meeting request noted that representatives from the police service, local provincial and federal prosecutors, and Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound’s MPP should also be invited. It was moved by Mayor Ian Boddy and seconded by Councilor Carol Merton, both of whom sit on the police board as representatives of Owen Sound City Council.
That letter was submitted to the City of Owen Sound on May 6, 2025. In it, Thomson wrote, “At one time it could have been said that shoppers and visitors just felt uncomfortable downtown, but that feeling has changed and it is now a feeling of being unsafe and this no longer acceptable.”
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The board told Council that they needed a proactive plan, as the police service expected there would be an increase in activity in the River District, “not only with more visitors but also with the public display of drug consumption” as warmer weather approached.
Despite the urgency conveyed in that request, the letter was not included in the next Council agenda on May 12. It came before the City in open session on May 26.
After Contentious Discussion on May 26, Council Decides to Move Meeting Forward
Councillor Merton kicked off the discussion with a motion that the Council proceed with scheduling the meeting.
Councillor Marion Koepke said she wanted to see Grey County Social Services added to the invitation. Merton agreed and said Grey Bruce Public Health should be added, as well, as “content experts.”
Councillor Jon Farmer objected, saying, “Municipal councils have no place interfering with the work of provincial or federal crown prosecutors,” and that the City already had a channel for communicating with business owners through the River District Board (formerly known as the DIA, when it was an organization independent of the City).
Farmer also said “there is not an immediate crisis of businesses fleeing downtown” as the OSPSB had suggested, and that the River District business vacancy rate, as reported in September 2024, was at its lowest rate in recent history.
He accused the OSPSB of basing their ask on “personal opinions, anecdotes, and stereotypes” and of undermining social services and community partners. Farmer attempted to have the motion amended to remove prosecutors and add other parties, but that amendment was defeated by Council.
In the end, Council approved the following motion by 6-1 in a recorded vote, with only Farmer opposed:
City Manager Reminds OSPSB That Community Safety & Wellbeing are Police Priorities; Recommends Facilitated Meeting
If City Council and the Police Services Board (OSPSB) met to establish a joint agenda—as approved in the May 26 motion—it is not reflected on either organization’s public meeting calendar. Instead, the City Manager presented an 8-page staff report in a Special Council Meeting on June 30 outlining next steps for the requested business conditions meeting.
Simmonds recommended that Council approve staff to proceed with “organizing a professionally facilitated meeting,” while noting that “significant collaboration is already underway” in response to the OSPSB’s request.
The report said the July 28 meeting would address complex challenges in the River District, including homelessness, addiction, and public safety. However, rather than centring business owners’ concerns, the staff report frames the event as a continuation of broad, ongoing efforts involving multiple stakeholders.
Simmonds underscores that the Police Services Board—not City Council—sets the strategic direction for community safety, and that policing issues such as drug use, enforcement, and overdoses fall under the OSPS 2023–2026 Operations Plan. These priorities, he notes, were identified by both community members and police staff during consultations.
Simmonds also mentioned that “ a similar session was held on October 30, 2024.” He points to the “Town Hall” organized by the Owen Sound Chamber of Commerce, in which both the City and police participated, as an example of collaborative engagement already underway.
Simmonds proposed that the upcoming meeting be professionally facilitated and estimated the cost, including venue rental, at approximately $1,000. The expense will be drawn from the City Manager’s 2025 operating budget. (The Owen Sound Current confirmed the facilitator is donating their professional fee to local downtown organizations involved in the meeting.)
There is no mention of confidentiality clauses or media access restrictions in the City Manager’s report presented to Council.
The report concludes with a plan for staff to work with the facilitator to prepare a post-meeting summary capturing key themes, general community feedback, and any proposed next steps.
However, it does not commit to recording or reporting business owners’ concerns in detail, despite that being the purpose of the meeting as requested by the Police Services Board.
What Began as a Call to Hear Business Realities Is Now Framed as a Broader Visioning Exercise
On July 10, business members of the River District (former DIA) received an invitation to “A Community Stakeholder Discussion to Foster a Vibrant River District.” The language used in invitations to business owners reflects a broader focus than the meeting requested by the Police Services Board.
Where the request from OSPSB was for: “a meeting with the River District Board, the Chamber of Commerce, and all downtown business owners to discuss current business conditions in downtown Owen Sound…”
And Council approved a motion for a meeting “to discuss current business conditions in downtown Owen Sound with the River District Board, the Chamber of Commerce, and all downtown business owners, with invitations also being sent to… [various organizations and agencies]…”
The invitation to business owners is for “a facilitated discussion of our shared goals for a vibrant and economically thriving downtown that is safe and welcoming for everyone—a place where businesses flourish, people feel a strong sense of belonging, and no one is left to face serious challenges like mental illness, addiction, or homelessness alone.”
The City’s repositioning of the meeting—from a discussion about downtown business conditions to a facilitated conversation about “shared goals” and community wellbeing—raises questions about whether the original intent of hearing directly from business owners is being sidelined.
Combined with restrictions on media access and the plan to release a filtered summary report rather than sharing business concerns verbatim, the changes suggest a controlled process that may fall short of the transparency and accountability expected from a City-led response to public safety issues.
As the July 28 meeting approaches, questions remain about how the agenda was shaped, whose voices will be prioritized, and whether the City is prepared to confront the specific concerns raised by the Police Services Board and downtown stakeholders.
Editor’s Note: Our Position on Media Access to the July 28 Meeting
Upon receiving this invitation on July 10, The Owen Sound Current shared concerns with the City Manager’s Office that these conditions place journalists in an ethically compromised position and restrict press freedom without legal justification.
In keeping with the Canadian Association of Journalists’ Ethics Guidelines, we assess all requests for confidentiality on a case-by-case basis, depending on the subject matter, public interest, the identity of the requester, and potential risk to individuals.
Blanket or preemptive confidentiality agreements are not compatible with our role as an independent news organization.
We made clear that meetings involving municipal officials, law enforcement, social service agencies, prosecutors, and business owners—particularly when convened to discuss public safety—should be accessible to the public and the press.
Open government and transparent communication are foundational to democratic accountability.
In response, Rebecca Ellerdiem (who also goes by the surname Diem), Community and Business Development Advisor for the City Manager’s Office and the staff lead for the meeting, stated: “This is an invite-only facilitated discussion between community partners, not a meeting where City business is being conducted.”
“If you do not feel that you are able to attend, we fully understand and appreciate your position,” she added.
The City has stated that journalists may submit questions in advance or pose questions to a spokesperson after the meeting.
We will continue to evaluate our participation in this meeting based on these conditions and will report to readers with transparency.
As a long time subscriber and supporter of transparency and local journalism, here's my complete reply to your email on Friday.
"Good morning, Miranda!
I hear your concerns, and I'm glad you agree that we share a goal of public transparency.
This is an invite-only facilitated discussion between community partners, not a meeting where City business is being conducted. Our role is only as organisers/hosts, as per Council direction.
I've cc'd our facilitator, Joel Pennington, who will be leading this discussion.
For the City's part, we will be providing two formal opportunities for media access:
- A media availability at on July 28 at 9 p.m. immediately following the discussion
- A report to council following up on the discussion (date TBD, please refer to the Council agendas as they are published)
As one of our River District businesses, you will also have been invited as a business community member.
Our invitation to media partners (including those outside of the River District) is to ensure fairness and transparency while respecting the participants and facilitator's desire for all attendees to participate in a fulsome discussion.
If you do not feel that you are able to attend, we fully understand and appreciate your position and will continue to ensure access through the opportunities listed above.
You are welcome to send questions to Tim, who can provide an official response and/or quotes. But in my capacity as the staff lead I am happy to assist with providing support to ensure that all our invited participants feel welcomed and comfortable participating in this opportunity for greater collaboration between our community partners.
Thank you,
Rebecca
Rebecca Ellerdiem (she/her)
Community & Business Development Advisor
City Manager’s Office"
What will your first question be?