In tandem with media outreach and government engagement, CULC/CBUC and its member libraries will need to identify and build support with stakeholders who can be allied voices with media to amplify the overall message and engage governments on their own (see list of Allied Stakeholders included in Appendix 5). This can include local community groups, national organizations like the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Canadian Urban Institute, CAMH (The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), the Canadian Urban Transit Association, and like-minded regional associations (I.E. AMO, UBCM) in each province.
These stakeholders can help build momentum toward a solution and ensure governments see the impacts as extending to the point that action must be taken. CULC/CBUC should set as an immediate priority to engage these community groups and to build a combined focused effort to gain support for solutions from governments.
Potential Allied Stakeholders
- CFLA-FCAB – United voice of Canada’s libraries and the library community including communities that are not members of CULC/CBUC
- Federation of Canadian Municipalities – National Association with membership of 2100 municipalities across Canada [would also approach provincial municipal associations like AMO and UBCM.
- Canadian Urban Transit Association – Voice of Public Transit in Canada.
- Canadian Urban Institute – National Platform housing best in Canadian city building.
- Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police – Primary advocacy group for policing in Canada.
- CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) – Psychiatric teaching hospital in Toronto with 10 community locations in Ontario.
- Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) – Known as most established, most extensive community mental health organization in Canada.
- Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse – Focuses on reducing harms of problematic substance abuse. Hosts a national addictions awareness week in November.