Kingston City Council has decided to close all public places kick out After a flood of complaints from campers, nearby residents Cantonments In many parks and locations throughout Southern Ontario City.
Not only is the bye-law that prohibited tents in public places being reinstated, but campers can be evicted at six hours’ notice.
Mayor Brian Paterson says, “We have even, as a result, re-established camp protocol.” “This means that we will not allow camping on public property, anywhere in the city. But again, people will be redirected to some other services that we have available. ,
The council put the bye-law on hold a month ago, while staff worked on a solution to help non-domesticated people.
One of the options that emerged at a special council meeting was to designate new camps in some of the parks, but the council categorically rejected that idea.
Instead, the council opted to invest the money in other homelessness-related initiatives, such as more sleeping cabins and emergency shelters.
“We had approved new funding for shelter beds, new funding for ten additional sleeping cabins, maybe a second one,” says Paterson.
“We think those are solutions that have demonstrated to work, so we’ll be following those routes instead.”
The Sleeping Cabin pilot project has been seen as a success by both city and outreach activists.
One man told the council that he graduated from the Sleeping Cabin program, and had found permanent housing and a job.
“After spending a winter there, and I had the necessary equipment—phone, food—everything I needed to do to survive in the woods, I could now just put aside,” says Corey, whose last name was not given. Was gone, “and use that whole time to get back on your feet.”
For campers who have been asked to leave public parks, the city says each person will be presented with other options on a case-by-case basis.
“Street Outreach and Housing and Social Services staff continue to provide ongoing support and work with individuals to provide alternative service options, including but not limited to: shelters, access to integrated care hubs, motels/ Hotels, apartments, medical services, storage and transportation,” the city says in a press release.
Mayor Paterson says the city has spent nearly $18 million over the past two years to help tackle the homelessness crisis.
The city is now calling on the provincial and federal governments to come forward and provide some funding for more transitional housing.
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