An amended set of rules effectively banning new homeless encampments on public land in Sarnia hasn’t encountered any opposition, a city spokesperson says.
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“Our bylaw team is out there enforcing it, and thus far we’ve managed to have voluntary compliance,” said communications manager Steve Henschel.
The city’s encampment response protocol was approved in August and updated earlier this month to prohibit new encampments on public land within 1,000 meters of residential properties, schools, long-term care homes, public trails and paths.
The number of calls to date reporting new encampments to city bylaw officials is hard to specify, since sometimes encampment responses are linked to bylaw calls for other matters, Henschel said.
“Our bylaw team still does work closely with other agencies, including the County (of Lambton) and police,” he said. “So we’re still working to connect those individuals with the supports that are offered by our partners at the county, who deliver social services locally.”
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City officials recently issued a public reminder to contact by law enforcement at 519-332-0330 ext. 3301 gold [email protected] about encampments on public property, but to call police when private property is involved.
City hall has been fielding some of those calls, Henschel said.
“City bylaw doesn’t have the authority to enforce the encampment protocol on private property,” he said.
The protocol applies to new encampments in the city, and so hasn’t affected Rainbow Park where, Henschel said, 42 tents were counted earlier this week.
The encampment there was first brought to city hall’s attention in March, he said.
Sarnia has unused emergency shelter spaces, but recent court rulings in Waterloo and Kingston, and a third-party legal opinion obtained by the city, say such beds aren’t enough to justify removing people from public parks in violation of charter rights to life, liberty and security.
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Truly accessible shelter spaces — allowing couples to stay together, people to bring in pets or drugs, and ensuring safety from violence and sexual predation — are needed.
Safety concerns have been raised amid drug use and violence in the park, including a stabbing in May that led to an attempted murder charge.
Security and sanitation measures introduced in June continues at Rainbow Park, though the fencing separating tents from playground equipment recently was reconfigured to give more playground space, after some campers left, Henschel said.
Sarnia police are looking into another motion from council earlier this month, that would bar new campers from staying in Rainbow Park, and people who have left from returning, Henschel said.
“They are investigating that and looking at how best to implement that, if it is at all legally possible,” he said.
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