Photo: Contributed

A report on downtown issues is receiving mixed reviews.

On Feb. 6, Urban Matters facilitated a meeting with stakeholders regarding homelessness, panhandling and other issues facing the city centre.

Some found the meeting useful, others did not.

On Monday, Urban Matters presented council with its report on the meeting.

“There is nothing in this report we didn't already know,” said Coun. Dalvir Nahal.

Coun. Scott Anderson was even more blunt in his assessment, saying the meeting was a “tone-deaf response” to businesses and people in the downtown core...

“We have a problem, and trying to ignore it and not taking proactive action is not the way to go,” said Anderson.

Mayor Victor Cumming pointed out the report found business is growing in the city centre.

Coun. Brian Quiring said there were some good suggestions in the report, including more security patrols and quicker response times in downtown, so the meeting was productive in his view.