Chatham-Kent’s Encampment Advisory Committee is starting to take shape.
Council will vote tonight on the terms of reference for the new committee, which was voted through back in September from a motion by Ward 6 representative Michael Bondy.
According to the motion, the Encampment Advisory Committee was put in place to “to facilitate transparent communication between the municipality and the community at large with regards to any proposed projects for the encampment prior to the submission of reports to council.”
The committee plans to address the existing encampment at the PUC, and any future encampments in the municipality of more than 10 tents.
The motion outlines the structure of the committee, which will be comprised of 10 members with equal representation from council, residents from the Northside Neighbours Association and those with previous experience living near shelters or large encampments, business owners or operators from the Northside Neighbours Association, municipal administrative staff, and community groups and persons with lived or living experience of homelessness.
In the report, Deputy CAO Dave Taylor said the committee will strictly have an advisory role and because of that won’t have to follow strict public meeting rules since the majority of its members are not on council. The committee will be in effect till October 2026 as a pilot project, allowing council to review and make changes around the next municipal elections.
If the terms of reference are approved, the Northside Neighbours Association will be asked to submit a list of nominees to the Clerk’s Department for consideration, while members of the public with lived experiences or those living near a shelter or large encampment can apply on the municipal website. Council members who wish to participate will also indicate their interest and be formally appointed along with other members.
Applications will be reviewed in closed session due to privacy, with council officially approving and voting on all committee members in the next open session, making the appointments formal.
