Despite lingering questions about designated tent sites for people experiencing homelessness, Halifax Regional Municipality councillors have agreed to move ahead with a revised version of the proposal.
HRM staff initially recommended 16 possible outdoor sites on municipal land they considered suitable for sheltering — 11 of them for “overnight stays” and five for longer-term situations.
The motion passed Tuesday night included directing staff to formalize criteria and locations for designated sheltering sites, while removing the one-night options. Most councillors opposed the one-night options, which would only be open from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.
“If somebody doesn’t want to leave at 8 o’clock and have no where to go in the first place, where are they going? Are they going to be going around the corner waiting for the compliance officer to leave? It’s a touchy situation,” said Coun. Iona Stoddard, who represents District 12 (Timberlea – Beechville – Clayton Park – Wedgewood).
An amendment was made, asking for a staff report on negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding with the province on supporting unsheltered residents. That report, councillors said, should define the roles of each level of government.
‘Least worst option’
Staff told councillors during Tuesday’s virtual council meeting that there have been people who sleeping “rough” in the municipality for decades now.
Coun. Waye Mason, who represents District 7 (Halifax South Downtown), said designated spots would only work if they are properly provisioned and safe.
“We need to make sure that those encampments are a place that maximizes safety for all,” he added.
The report was prepared after a six-week reassessment of the city’s approach to homelessness and encampments. The city and province recently partnered to create modular units to provide housing on the Halifax and Dartmouth side. The Dartmouth units were up and running in January. The Halifax versions haven’t been opened yet.
In a statement to Global News, Halifax Mutual Aid said the group is disappointed by the HRM staff report.
“Halifax Mutual Aid is disappointed that council didn’t consult with a single unhoused community member while writing a report that directly impacts their safety and autonomy,” a spokesperson wrote.
“The absolute bare minimum they could have done was involve people in their planning. They should be a primary stakeholder in this conversation. This once again shows their lack of compassion toward our unhoused friends and neighbours.”
Deputy Mayor Pam Lovelace, who represents District 13 (Hammonds Plains – St. Margarets), echoed that concern.
“Their voices are not in this report. Certainly we have voices of people who were unhoused but the most important people that we’re trying to help — we haven’t heard from them,” she said during the council meeting.
She said the idea of designated sites had “good intentions, but it won’t work.”
The modular units work, she said, because they have partnered with an organization that has on-site workers and community groups to work with clients.
“But if you start putting people just in these designated sites without any managerial or coordination or community connection, it is going to be chaos,” she said.
“I cannot support this until staff comes forward with a real detailed plan as far as how rules and regulations are actually going to be enforced.”
Vicky Levack, a housing and disabilities advocate with P.A.D.S. Community Network, watched the debate and told Global News that enforcement is still a major concern among many community members.
“We worry about the powers of the compliance officers, and whether police will be used,” she said. “They’re saying they won’t be, unless there’s actually violence perpetrated against someone.”
The issue of safety was brought up repeatedly by councillors during the council meeting.
“I don’t want to see Aug. 18 recreated in 16 different locations,” said Coun. Lisa Blackburn, who represents District 14 (Middle/Upper Sackville – Beaver Bank – Lucasville), in reference to the evictions at downtown Halifax sites last year.
She and others also expressed frustration about they said was the province’s lack of contribution. The issue of housing, they pointed out, falls under provincial jurisdiction.
“We’re running out of spare millions that we can dig out of the sofa to dedicate to this issue,” said Blackburn.
She added that the municipality’s “level of expertise” was “reaching its limit.
The motion passed by council in full:
THAT Halifax Regional Council:
1) Direct the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to continue to support the province and other partners to ensure individuals have safe, supportive and affordable housing,
2) Direct the CAO to continue efforts to increase availability of affordable housing as described in the body of this report,
3) Direct the CAO to formalize criteria and locations for the designation of overnight sheltering sites in parks consistent with the criteria and locations described in the body of the staff report dated April 28, 2022, with the removal of the one-night camping sites, and addition of those sites to the list of potential longer term camping sites if required and possible to ensure adequate supply to meet demands to be brought back to Council for consideration,
4) Direct the CAO to continue to review options to add non-park sites to inventory of outdoor sites available for overnight sheltering, ”
5) Authorize the Chief Administrative Officer to negotiate and enter into a contribution agreement with the United Way to convene a lived experience committee to advise staff, and
6) Direct the CAO to return to Council with a subsequent report with additional analysis and recommendations for actions, including a timeline and plan for supporting the transition of people, education and implementation that is lead and delivered by civilian staff.
7) Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to provide a staff report on negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Province of Nova Scotia on supporting Unsheltered Residents of HRM. The report should include defining the roles of each order of government and specific actions to support and prevent homelessness within the HRM.
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