Canada’s homelessness crisis went from bad to worse during the pandemic years, as encampments popped up in municipalities across the country. In the past, these tent cities were forcibly removed by local law enforcement. (For example: the now infamous operation to remove encampments in various Toronto parks.) But this month the city of Hamilton approved a fresh approach—one that acknowledges encampments as an interim reality of the housing crisis and attempts to balance the needs of all community members.
Per new protocols, encampments of five or fewer tents will be permitted in parks and public spaces, provided they are more than 100 metres away from schools, daycares or playgrounds. Outreach workers (not law enforcement) will be the first point of contact in the case of infraction. “We are moving forward with a housing-first, human rights–based approach,” says Hamilton mayor Andrea Horwath. The plan that will also include access to washroom and shower facilities and more frequent garbage cleanup.
Hamilton city council has also approved a new Tiny Shelters pilot, a privately funded initiative consisting of 10 or 12 small cabins installed along Strachan Avenue, which is currently the location of a tent encampment. The idea is that these heated and electrically wired facilities will provide a level of security and autonomy—a key step on the path to permanent housing. We talked to Horwath about why cities alone can’t solve the homelessness crisis and why bringing in the police is a last resort …
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