Earlier this week a special meeting of Chatham-Kent Council was called by Mayor Darrin Canniff for Monday, July 28 to discuss the new location of an encampment in Chatham.
Municipal officials say Mayor Canniff is expected to present the following motion at the meeting:
Whereas the total number of people experiencing homelessness in Ontario has increased by 25% since 2022;
And Whereas the number of people experiencing homelessness has increased by over 150% in rural Ontario communities and specifically 94% in Chatham since 2022;
And Whereas Chatham-Kent currently has 1396 households waiting an estimated 8 years for affordable housing;
And Whereas Mayor and Council have sent the following letters to the province urging action on the systemic causes of homelessness.
And Whereas Provincial funding for the Homeless Prevention Program remains frozen at 2023 levels;
And Whereas the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) has forecasted that homelessness will double in Ontario without significant additional actions;
And Whereas encampments are neither safe nor acceptable forms of housing for any community member;
And Whereas Chatham-Kent does not have the necessary supports, housing or services needed to adequately house and support all Chatham-Kent residents in need;
And Whereas Chatham-Kent has spent a significant amount of money in providing accessible options for emergency housing yet the systemic causes of homelessness continue to be unresolved by the provincial and federal government, leaving municipalities across Ontario unequipped to adequately respond to this crisis;
And Whereas Council voted unanimously to pass November 4th, 2024 encampment protocols;
Therefore, be it resolved that:
1. The current encampment protocols be amended to require encampments be 100 metres away from any private property line with a habitable residence.
2. Administration continues to work in collaboration with ROCK to engage with individuals and prioritise them for services and housing as they become available.
3. Administration voluntarily transitions as many homeless individuals as possible to the new transitional cabins program thereby diminishing the number of people in encampments.
4. Administration actively pursues all options to reduce and end encampments in Chatham-Kent. This will include, but not be limited to, exploring opportunities to immediately deliver permanent supportive housing, increased shelter spaces, and increased transitional cabins. A report back from administration on possible options and costing be returned to Council as soon as possible. The same recommendations should be presented to the provincial and federal government for financial assistance.
5. Administration explore local housing options that could be quickly converted into supportive housing and report back on feasibility and costs.
6. The current encampment protocols be amended to include a provision that there is to be no more than one tent per person, and that all personal items be stored within a tent (with exception of a bicycle) ; items in contravention to this will be removed following notice. Administration be directed to enhance the frequency of refuse collection at encampment sites.
7. Administration bring back a by-law as soon as possible to allow for the enforcement of the approved protocols to begin.
8. Administration hire additional temporary by-law officers to enforce these amendments. Administration to report back recommendations on numbers and costs based on the approved protocol amendments.
9. CK Police install CCTV cameras where operationally required at the sole discretion of Chatham-Kent Police.
At Monday’s meeting, Council is expected to discuss the current Encampment Protocol and strategies on how best to navigate this evolving situation.
The goal of this meeting will be to guide a strategic response to encampments in the community going forward, Municipal officials said.
“Encampments are an incredibly complex and constantly evolving situation,” said Mayor Darrin Canniff, in a media release.
“While we must show empathy and understanding for those experiencing homelessness, we also have a responsibility to support the safety, well-being, and quality of life for neighbouring residents and businesses. I’m calling this special meeting of Council so we can work together as a community to find an actionable and compassionate path forward.”
Chatham-Kent staff and Council members continue to actively advocate with Provincial and Federal levels of government for funding and resources to better deal with the homelessness issues that are being experienced both in Chatham-Kent and by many communities in Canada.
The Municipality is committed to ensuring that our community’s concerns are heard at the highest levels of government.
For information and frequently asked questions about encampments in Chatham-Kent, residents are encouraged to visit: www.chatham-kent.ca/community/housing/Pages/Encampment-FAQ.aspx
