Hamilton to begin enforcing encampment bylaws, Ferguson Ave. to be targeted first

The City of Hamilton will begin enforcing encampment bylaws on Thursday.

This comes as the city and advocacy groups reached an agreement on how to handle groups of people sleeping rough in encampments in the city.

The city says members of the encampment task force have been working with residents for the a few months.

In that time, they’ve been able to find alternative accommodations for 70 people.

Of those, 20 were moved to hotels, 26 to shelters and 15 found more permanent housing.

For the people that remain, task force members will review the housing options available, while letting them know the bylaw prohibiting the encampments will be enforced.

The city will begin with the encampment on Ferguson Ave.

The street will be closed between Barton St. and Cannon St. until noon Friday.

The task force will then visit groups at FirstOntario Centre, city hall and Whitehern Historic House to offer people staying there other housing options.

The city says it has incurred additional costs related to the encampments, especially the larger ones.

Calls to paramedics and police increased, while the city spent approximately $60,000 on waste and security efforts.