The latest change to City Council’s approach to homeless encampments has already sparked outrage.
A gap in the provision of basic needs might drive dozens of homeless Londoners from the encampment in Watson Street Park—despite council’s assurance that the encampment is not being forcefully removed.
On Tuesday, Coun. Hadleigh McAlister’s motion directing city staff to assist with relocating the 36 unhoused Londoners (and 19 pets) in Watson Street Park was updated.
Homeless Londoners can still live in the park if their encampment strictly obeys a previously approved set of rules and safety protocols.
People who do not follow the city’s encampment rules would be relocated, connected with shelters, or offered appropriate service supports.
“The explosion of the propane tank [during a fire] at the encampment a few weeks ago was a serious incident,” McAlister told council colleagues. “So, what I’m asking, essentially, is that we stick to the encampment protocols that we have already agreed upon.”
His motion also directed that a stationary service depot offering basic needs including food, water, and portable toilets would be shut down on Wednesday and replaced with a mobile service on May 1.
Over the past two weeks, there was confusion and uncertainty about how city staff would interpret the directions in the motion.
Coun. Susan Stevenson explaining, “I sought clarity and I found out [the encampment] was going to be cleared if we passed this [motion] - then I sought more clarity and found out, no, that wasn’t the intention!”
Those concerns brought about 25 people to council chambers to observe the debate, including several who currently live in the encampment.
The city was already planning to move from stationary service depots, like the one providing food and hygiene in Watson Street Park, to a mobile model that aims to reduce the clustering of tents.
The motion before council would create a service gap until the mobile option begins on May 1.
“Currently, the service depot provides access to a portable washroom,” explained Kevin Dickins, Deputy City Manager Social and Health Development. “When that depot service ends, the washroom will be removed.”
“It’s a basic human right!” shouted a woman from the public gallery.
And despite the mayor’s insistence that she remain quiet— she persisted in scolding council.
“Where do you go to the bathroom?” she demanded.
Eventually, the mayor paused the meeting and the woman left.
Coun. Sam Trosow warned, “Unless we’re really sure what we’re doing, we might be making a bad problem worse. We might be putting people who are in danger in greater danger.”
“The camp has been allowed to become too big. It is out of compliance,” Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis argued.
Stevenson told colleagues, “We found out the washrooms going to be removed, and no meals for the next eight or nine days. These things matter to the people who are living there.”
Dickins explained that the motion would take away the discretion used by outreach teams regarding the city’s encampment policies, including the setback distance from homes, the number of tents in an area, and several health and safety protocols.
“In theory, it makes sense to try to restore some manner of order [or] control in that space, perhaps reduce the size,” he added. “We do know, though, if it’s not a restricted space, that other people will eventually migrate there and we’ll have to address that problem as need be.”
Both parts of the motion were approved by a majority of council.
The vote sparked more jeers from the public gallery.
“Shame, shame, shame! Human Rights violations!” people shouted as they exited council chambers.
After the meeting, city staff confirmed that meals will not be brought to Watson Street Park on Wednesday and the portable toilets will be removed as per council direction.
