Photo posted online of homeless man in Midland sparks calls for government intervention

Ryan Dicks has lived in the quiet community of Midland for 41 years.

He says the small town is where he was born and raised, calling it a place he feels most at home, but Dicks hasn't had a home for more than two decades.

"It's been a rough one to try to get housing, trying to find housing," he said.

Dicks is one of more than 100 people who live on the streets in Midland each year.

"People look at you like your an animal. Really, in a sense, I'll be standing downtown, and there are very few places that we can chill, and they always want to paint a picture like we are a bunch of drug addicts and failures," he said.

There are just 21 beds available each night at the town's shelter, so when those are taken, Dicks, like so many others, finds somewhere on the street to sleep.

It was that exact situation that he said led to an incident last week where an image ended up online of him pulling his pants down and mooning a camera.

"It was a bad night, and I hadn't gotten much sleep, and I looked around - there were two girls across the road, and they were taking pictures of me, and I felt like an animal, really, and I turned around and said, 'Hey, you want something to look at, here you go.' Probably not the best decision," Dicks explained.

This photo of Ryan Dicks, a homeless man in Midland, Ont., has gone viral online. (Supplied)

The image generated opinions online about the homeless crisis in Midland.

Angela Dayler, a street outreach worker with the Salvation Army in Midland, said the photo highlights the daily vulnerability experienced by those living with homelessness.

"At the moment, they have nowhere to go, and then people just don't have the compassion to understand what is actually happening, and that is unfortunate," said Dayler.

The County of Simcoe said it recently implemented a once-a-week outreach program called One Community. The program is an addition to the outreach services already being offered by the Salvation Army, but Mayor Bill Gordon said it doesn't go far enough.

"I wish there was something that a lower-tier municipality could do to build transitional housing and fund and implement a fix. Unfortunately, lower tiers like Midland are left with Band-Aids, and that box of Band-Aids is dwindling in supply. We don't have the ability to fund a jurisdiction to deal with the root causes," said Gordon.

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In a statement to CTV News, the Midland BIA responded to the photo, noting in part, "These concerns may be discouraging visits to our downtown, despite our businesses' efforts to create an inclusive and safe environment for all."

It continued, "The BIA is involved with the network of support systems in our area for street-involved individuals and is helping to close the gap in services and knowledge. We urge the community to stand with our local businesses, shop downtown, and show compassion to those in need. If you witness an issue, please reach out to Salvation Army Street Outreach."

CTV News also reached out to Michael Tibollo, the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, for comment but did not hear back.

Midland's mayor said he plans to hold an open town hall this fall, inviting residents, community groups, and business owners to collaborate on ideas to support the local homeless community. He also hopes the County will participate in the discussions.