Halifax is designating more tent encampment sites for people sleeping rough.
Municipal staff say the goal is to provide better services and strike a balance so all can share these public spaces.
Halifax Regional Council voted on Tuesday to greenlight recommendations laid out in a staff report about the Halifax Regional Municipality’s (HRM) homelessness strategy, which include endorsing six encampment sites.
The designation means municipal services like water, outhouses, and garbage collection will be delivered to the encampments including Victoria Park and Grand Parade.
“For the person who is experiencing homelessness, this is a place where they’re allowed to be,” says HRM Housing and Homelessness Director Max Chauvin. “They don’t have to be worried about if they’re illegally tenting.”
The sites also come with proposed occupancy limits.
For example, a section of Victoria Park has received the designation. That area’s recommended occupancy is 12 or fewer tents.
“Homelessness is going to be with us for awhile,” explains Chauvin. “People need a place to shelter. Can we, between all the various options, give people places, but also allow other things to happen in those spaces? You’ve heard about Remembrance Day in Grand Parade, New Year’s Eve, the menorah lighting, the Christmas tree lighting. All of those events are also important for the community.”
But he says no one will be turned away from these sites.
“We can’t move anybody if there is not space for them to go somewhere,” Chauvin adds.
He expects an emergency winter shelter will alleviate overcrowding.
“Quite frankly, if we don’t have a winter shelter — some people will die,” Chauvin says.
But the province is still working to find a suitable space.
“We recognize again that having shelters in place is very important,” says Community Services Minister Trevor Boudreau. “We’re continuing to work on securing a location and as soon as we have that information we’ll certainly be happy to share it with everybody.”
Advocates want to see a more stable fix to ease the transition to longer-term solutions like pallet shelters and a recently announced tiny home pilot project.
“I can’t imagine why we wouldn’t be looking at something a little more sustainable and dignified like a hotel or motel — do that again — lease for a year,” says Dalhousie University professor Jeff Karabanow.
HRM plans on closing an indoor recreation space if the province does not find an emergency shelter location.
Streets navigators estimate over 200 people are sleeping rough in the city, with more than 10 new people becoming homeless every week.