Hamilton city hall encampments problematic, but won’t be forcibly shut down: mayor

Unhoused people camped in part of the Hamilton city hall parking lot were given orders by Hamilton bylaw officers to leave the encampment. The people there say they are waiting to see if the city is going to crack down and clear them out by force.

People at the encampment tell CHCH News they were afraid they could be forcibly evicted as early as Monday. So far that hasn’t happened.

READ MORE: Hamiltonians camped behind city hall told to leave

Things were calm at Hamilton’s city hall encampment on Monday and paramedics appeared to be checking up on people and tents were drying out after the weekend rain. At the same time, there were signs of a barricade at one entrance to the campsite after the city posted notices last week telling people to leave.

City councillor Cameron Kroetsch says the calm is just on the outside, “people are pretty upset. People aren’t following city hall politics right now they’re trying to survive on the streets. That’s not their primary focus, their primary focus is what are you doing, when is it going to happen and what do I have to do? Where can I go?”

Mayor Andrea Horwath indicates that shutting down the camp by force which has happened before is not likely. “That’s not, certainly not where we want to get. What we’re trying, what we’re trying to do is provide assistance for people to find another space.”

On CHCH Morning Live, Horwath said the people in the camp need help, support, and humane treatment, but also says the camp is a problem. “The encampment has been there for some time. It continues to grow, but there are starting to become some health and safety issues that are really troubling and worrisome.”

READ MORE: Horwath discusses the city homelessness and encampment issues

The people living at the encampment and social service agencies say shelters are overcrowded and there’s nowhere for them to go.

Medora Uppal from YWCA Hamilton says, “Our approach to supporting people who are unhoused and unsheltered as a city needs to change. We can’t just continuously move people who are encamped, who have tents set up. We have to find other ways of responding and creating space and finding shelter.”

The city will be considering a new protocol later this month on how to handle the tough issue of homelessness. Kroetsch says, “The city has to do a much better job of telling people where they can go. We’ve been great at saying you can’t go here, you can’t go here, you can’t go here.”

CHCH News reached out to Hamilton’s bylaw department and no one was available today to say when or if they’re going to be following up on the order with action.