Advocates pushing local politicians to stand up for those living in homeless encampments

Potential legislation at the provincial level would give municipalities in the province the power to clear homeless encampments, as Ontario Big City Mayors (OBCM) look to find solutions to the at least 1,400 homeless encampments now present in communities.

Advocates like David Alton, the facilitator of lived expertise for the Social Development Centre Waterloo Region, are working to make sure those who may be left on the outside after an encampment clearing have a voice.

In considering this legislation, Premier Doug Ford has not ruled out the potential use of the Notwithstanding Clause, overruling previously established court decisions that would prohibit encampment clearings.

In 2023, an Ontario Superior Court judge ruled that the Region of Waterloo did not have the right to evict residents of encampments on Victoria Street and Weber Street.

“I would put pressure on the mayors of Waterloo and Kitchener to leverage their platforms to say ‘Our region does not stand for violating people’s right to life,'” said Alton. “There’s still many other councillors both at the region level, but also at the city level, who can also add their voice.”

Alton noted that in other instances of people being displaced, like in the case of a natural disaster, organizations like the Red Cross would step in and make sure people are taken care of, but when people experiencing homelessness are displaced, there’s no expectation of aid or care.

He added that local governments could leverage the tools used during the COVID-19 pandemic, like warming tents where vaccinations were administered, and set up areas for people being displaced.

“We have people who are experiencing displacement after displacement after displacement, and then once they’re on the streets, they’re constantly spat on by people, denied access to sleep, denied access to the bathroom,” said Alton. “How are we expecting people to stabilize and move through that trauma if we are not giving them the social safety net to help them stabilize and do that.”

Failing to find solutions to these problems, Alton said the community would be violating the basic human rights of those living and being displaced from encampments.