Hamilton mayor talks encampments

Hamilton mayor Fred Eisenberger joined us this morning to talk about encampments in the city’s parks. 

A number of advocates for Hamilton’s homeless population held a protest at the city-run parks and recreation facility Friday, just days after a court action failed to stop the city from potentially removing small encampments in parks. 

Eisenberger says he thinks it is unfortunate that the protests prevented the public works staff from getting into work. He says a judge ruled that the city was “appropriately dealing with encampment issues”. 

“In the last little while, we’ve offered 40 couples and individuals spaces in our shelters, which is about the number of folks living rough in our community right now,” said Eisenberger. “12 of them have agreed to do that and over the life of the pandemic, we’ve housed upwards of 500 individuals off of the streets and into either shelters or affordable housing in our community.”

Eisenberger says the city does not want people to have to live in encampments because of the colder weather and the safety risks. 

The mayor says there is enough space in the shelters, according to what shelter staff presented in court. He says a challenge is providing for people living with mental health and addiction issues that require “wrap-around” support and services. 

Eisenberger says the city is working with the provincial government to ask for more resources to provide more of these “wrap-around” services. 

“We do run into situations where people refuse to [go to a shelter],” said Eisenberger. “It’s not like we can arrest them or pick them up and place them somewhere against their will, they do have a choice…we do not want them to make that choice at some of our city parks, this is against the by-law and always has been.”

City Housing is launching its winter housing plan next week. Eisenberger says the city will provide heating centers for people to warm up during winter as well as a number of other issues in the plan which will be revealed next week.