Hamilton city council evaluating expired encampment pilot strategy

Hamilton city council members are evaluating the expired encampment pilot strategy. City staff submitted a recommendation report to extend the program until April and then implement a permanent response team. This comes as cities across Ontario take heed following a court ruling against encampment removals in the Waterloo region.

READ MORE: City discusses Hamilton’s encampment approach

Downtown Hamilton drop-in centre The Hub on Vine Street is the only viable overnight warming centre according to executive director Jennifer Bonner. Today in Hamilton, with conditions reaching below -16 with the windchill those providing shelter are surprised that city hall called off its cold alert which was issued just last night.

“We’re seeing anywhere from 110 people, last night was 102 people. 85 of those people are unique individuals,” Bonner says The Hub can only support a capacity of 25 people, and people who can’t find shelter during the winter months usually flee to places like abandoned buildings to find warmth.

READ MORE: Hamilton Alliance for Tiny Shelters search for site after city rejects locations

“Obviously with the litigation that happened earlier on and encampments removed, people have just made their way further into the margins,” Bonner says based on her average occupancy she believes the city will need at least five warming centres to support people on the streets and in tents.

City staff says the pilot was also able to reduce the presence of long-term encampments within the city, although approximately 30-40 individuals continue to live in encampments and to date have not been able to be placed in housing or temporary shelter due to a variety of reasons.

According to a staff report, the permanent program will cost north of $1M.

Bonner says, “my question is that money not spent better providing additional shelter beds, and sending that money to shelter services, sending that money to warm up centres?”

READ MORE: Average death age is 43 for Hamilton’s homeless population: data