Horwath used her strong mayor powers to immediately direct staff to undertake research needed to open city-sanctioned sites for the homeless. Pictured: Mayor Andrea Horwath. Photo Credit: City of Hamilton.
With the colder months approaching, Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath used her strong mayor powers to immediately direct staff to undertake research needed to open city-sanctioned sites for the homeless.
Horwath’s notice says that she is acting because of the “high rates of homelessness” and “high number of encampments” within the City of Hamilton.
She says that “immediate supports are needed for the unhoused community” and that there are “avenues to establish sanctioned, temporary outdoor shelter site(s) on City-owned property as an alternative to encampments.”
It is somewhat unclear if Horwath is calling for the implementation of sanctioned encampment sites, which the city has previously defined as areas in the city where the municipality would allow 20 to 50 tents, or if she is simply calling for a tiny shelter project.
Sanctioned encampments were considered as part of the city’s Encampment Protocol, which was passed in August 2023, but ended up not being recommended by staff as there was not a consensus on the idea.
A tiny shelter program was approved by Council in that same vote before the project was cancelled amidst controversy surrounding the location, Strachan Linear Park, and costs.
The group that brought forward the project, the Hamilton Alliance for Tiny Shelters (HATS), still hopes to set up at a different location.
Using her strong mayor powers, Horwath issued seven different directives to staff.
First, she wants staff to research options for the “manufacture and installation of temporary shelter structures within Hamilton, including costs, identification of funding sources, potential vendors, and potential sites.”
Second, she directed staff to research “various models of temporary shelter structures,” including structures that can be used as counselling sites, laundry services, washrooms, bathing facilities, and community areas.
Third, she wants staff to “obtain a legal opinion regarding the establishment of sanctioned, temporary outdoor shelter site(s) as an alternative to encampments in parks.”
Fourth, she requested research that identifies models of operation for city-sanctioned outdoor shelter sites.
Fifth, she requested research that identifies potential community partnerships and service providers.
Sixth, she asks that staff “explore the development of and/or identify a centralized system to coordinate supportive services similar to those being provided at encampments.”
Finally, seventh, she requests that the report on items one to five be presented at the Sept. 18, 2024, General Issues Committee meeting and a report on item six at the Oct. 16, 2024, General Issues Committee meeting.
The city’s current Encampment Protocol, which allows encampments on public property, including parks, has faced significant criticism.
Whereas the homeless population was previously congregating in large clusters, under the protocol the City of Hamilton stipulated that encampments have a five-tent maximum per cluster and that each five-tent cluster must be 50 metres apart.
But that has resulted in tent encampments, and various complications, spreading out to more and more parks across the city.
Residents across Hamilton have reported that some parks are unusable due to needles, garbage, and various concerning behaviours of those living in tents.
It is important to note that, so far, Horwath’s directive is simply for staff to research and plan for at least one city-sanctioned site for the homeless.
It remains to be seen what staff will recommend, if Council will approve of the recommendations, and if Horwath would use her strong mayor powers again to implement a plan if Council does not reach a consensus.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
