City statement on residents living in encampments

HAMILTON, ON - The City remains committed to the health and safety needs of all residents as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve. This includes addressing the impact this has had on our most vulnerable residents by taking a proactive, organized approach to connecting those who sleep rough, to safer and more humane housing options.

Encampments or ‘tent cities’ are not an issue unique to Hamilton. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have seen an increase in encampment activity. As a municipality, it is our responsibility to ensure we strike the right balance to support the health and safety requirements of our most vulnerable along with those of our entire community.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, in collaboration with our community partners, the City’s Encampment Taskforce has engaged with 162 individuals sleeping rough to:

• educate them about their options to find legal housing/shelter/hotel accommodations,
• ensure they understand health and safety expectations including rules applicable to preserving safety within shelters.

To date, these efforts connected over 100 individuals to safer and more humane living conditions. Hamilton City Council continues to support the successful work of the City’s Encampment Taskforce.

Currently, and throughout the pandemic, there are spaces available within the shelter system for each sector: men, women, families and youth. Since April 1 no person has been refused a shelter or hotel due to capacity issues. In addition, we continue to provide hotel spaces as well for males, females, couples and families with children. We are also continuing to explore where that capacity needs to be expanded or improved.

The City’s legal team is working on gathering further evidence to challenge the current injunction prohibiting the City from involuntarily removing residents of encampments.