Meeting on Hamilton’s tiny shelters cancelled due to safety concerns

A community meeting scheduled to discuss Hamilton’s tiny shelter project was abruptly cancelled Monday night by the City due to health and safety concerns.

The meeting was intended to be an open house run by the City and the Hamilton Alliance for Tiny Shelters (HATS), providing residents in the area the opportunity to learn about the design and operations planned for the project and continue to discuss concerns.

The two-year pilot project plans to build 25 tiny shelters along Strachan Avenue in the city’s north end as part of Hamilton’s new encampment strategy. Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath spoke to Morning Live Monday morning about encampment protocols and tiny shelters.

Community members have voiced concerns surrounding theft, violence and drug use in the area that the tiny homes are planned to be built and expressed their disappointment in not being consulted before the plan was approved by council.

READ MORE: Follow-up meeting on Hamilton’s tiny shelter project set for Monday night

As residents arrived to Bennetto Community Centre, the meeting space would quickly fill with those ready to continue the discussion with officials.

However, the meeting would soon devolve and ultimately be cancelled an hour in due to health and safety concerns.

Tonight’s HATS Village community open house cancelled: https://t.co/OZd5JxPPR6

— City of Hamilton (@cityofhamilton) September 12, 2023

Those leading the meeting say that cancelling was in the best interest in all involved parties.

Grace Mater of the City of Hamilton says a staff member was “assaulted early on,” prompting safety concerns. She says that individual was grabbed, pulled, pushed and yelled at.

READ MORE: Public meeting addresses plan for homeless tiny shelters in Hamilton

When city officials were asked if police had been notified, they say their focus was to get everyone out safely.

Attendees, however, were frustrated with the cancellation with one participant calling the decision “totally uncalled for.”

In a statement to CHCH News, ward 2 councillor Cameron Kroetsch said “I support City of Hamilton staff in deciding to cancel the event when things got out of hand.”

He says he will “post when he knows more about next steps.”

Thus far, there has been no word from the City nor HATS on whether or when a rescheduled meeting can be expected.

READ MORE: Encampment protocol, tiny shelters approved in Hamilton despite resident concerns