Despite vocal concerns from area residents, Chatham’s largest homeless encampment will not be relocating any time soon.
During a special meeting on Monday, Chatham-Kent Council debated a motion brought forward by Mayor Darrin Canniff that included several changes to the municipality’s Encampment Protocol, including increasing the distance restriction between an encampment and residential properties from 10 metres to 100 metres.
The meeting was called by Canniff after a homeless encampment took root at Chatham-Kent PUC property on Grand Avenue East in Chatham, raising concerns from nearby residents who reported an increase in criminal activity, vandalism, and discarded waste. Many of the unhoused individuals sheltering at the PUC property moved there earlier this month after being asked to vacate another encampment located on Thames Street, to allow for planned structural improvements along the Thames River.
“Nobody wants it in their neighbourhood, but [the motion] puts a setback of 100 metres versus 10 where it is now,” said Canniff. “10 metres from your residential property or your business is not acceptable. That’s the premise of it.”
Following hours of deputations from residents and council discussion, councillors voted 11-5 in favour of a motion, brought forward by Ward 6 Councillor Alysson Storey, to defer the decision on distance requirements, and instead instructed administration to draft a report on possible encampment locations that fall within a 25, 50 and 100 metre radius from residential areas. The report is expected to be presented during council’s next meeting on August 11.
Canniff was among those on council who voted against the deferral.
“Certainly, I’m disappointed we didn’t move forward with it,” he said.”[But] I get it, we need to communicate with the communities that are going to be impacted by this.”
Should council pass increased distance restrictions within the encampment protocol next month, a bylaw would then need to be drafted and approved by council. Once in effect, Chatham-Kent would then be required to provide a minimum of 10 days’ notice to those in the Grand Avenue East encampment to vacate the property.
Kim Crew, CK’s Director of Housing Services, noted that the mental health of those living in encampments can be significantly and negatively impacted when they are forced to relocate.
“People have a sense of community in encampments, and there is safety in numbers,” she said. “Folks who are asked to relocate are often worried about where they will land next, so there’s the stress, anxiety, and fear of that.”
According to CK staff, there are only two locations within Chatham that would be meet the requirements if distance restrictions are increased to more than 25 metres from a residential property — Thames Grove Conservation Area and the O’Neill Nature Preserve (formerly Paxton’s Bush.)
“I’m not looking at locations right now, I’m looking at the rights of the individual homeowners and the individual businesses,” said Canniff. “The core to it, when I look at it, is 100 metres is a reasonable distance for any residence?”
Council passed 10 other action points that were included in Canniff’s motion, which included continued collaboration with Reach Out Chatham-Kent (R.O.C.K.) to engage with and support those experiencing homelessness, explore local housing options that could quickly be converted into supportive housing, amend the encampment protocol to allow no more than one tent per person, have administration examine hiring additional bylaw enforcement officers, and have municipal staff begin regular communications with residents living near the encampment.
A total of 16 individuals made deputations in person during the meeting, several of whom live or operate businesses near the Grand Avenue East encampment. Some residents expressed that they no longer feel safe in the neighbourhood, while others reported thousands of dollars in losses due to vandalism and loss of business.
Another motion tabled by Ward 6 Councillor Michael Bondy fell to the wayside and was not discussed during Monday’s meeting due to time constraints. Bondy’s motion called for the prohibition of any encampment during daytime hours. The motion, if approved, would have also given authorities the power to remove, seize, or impound any property that has been unlawfully placed or left on municipal land.
The Grand Avenue East encampment is the largest in Chatham-Kent, with as many as 50 unhoused individuals residing there at any given time, and currently falls within the conditions of Chatham-Kent’s existing Encampment Protocol.
According to CK Housing Services, there are 10 known encampments and over 240 individuals who are known to be homeless within the municipality. Chatham-Kent currently has seven housing projects in development to help alleviate local housing shortages. One of those projects includes the 50 transitional cabins at the intersection of Park Street and Hyslop Street, which is expected to open in August.
