Community forum discusses response to encampments in Greater Napanee parks

As part of an ongoing community discussion regarding homelessness, a community forum was held at the Best and Bash Arena on the evening of Oct. 1. The forum provided an opportunity for community members to voice comments and/or questions to various service providers involved with this issue.

Service providers included representatives from the Town of Greater Napanee, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Prince Edward Lennox and Addington Social Services (PELASS), Morningstar Mission, and the Fire Department.

Without a doubt, the issue of homelessness is affecting communities across Canada. In fact, an estimated 265,000 to 300,000 Canadians experience homelessness each year.  

Locally, the Town is working to create a Parks and Public Spaces Bylaw and Encampment Protocol that would pave the way to better handle homelessness. This meeting, as mayor Terry Richardson noted at the onset, was solely to discuss homelessness at it relates to the use of public space.

Richardson pointed to the collective effort of service providers and the Town who together must tackle this issue.

“As far as the Town of Greater Napanee, our role pertains to parks use, fire protection and prevention, and waste collection,” said Richardson. “This conversation will continue and we will continue to work together to try to find a resolution. We are committed to working with our partners to ensure we do so in line with legislation, case law, and the principles of fairness.”

CAO Matthew Grant further explained that much of what the Town does with regard to homelessness is governed by the Municipal Act and the Planning Bylaw. 

“This is why we work with community partners,” said Grant. “The Parks and Public Spaces Bylaw is the safe and respectful use of parks and the Encampment Protocol is designed to bring predictability to housed and unhoused residents. Also, if a community doesn't have enough housing, residents have the ability to shelter themselves wherever possible.”

Questions from the public ranged from enforcement of bylaws, transitional housing, illegal drug use, the rights of homeless people, and much more.

Shaun Lucas queried the Town and the OPP as to whether or not police officers were prepared to enforce local bylaws.

Both representatives responded, with the CAO noting there are a number of bylaws that “need to be strengthened”.  He also noted that bylaw officers enforce “in a number of areas.”

Meanwhile Dave Tuttle, Detachment Commander for the Lennox and Addington OPP, explained it is not within their service mandate to conduct bylaw enforcement. 

“That does not mean we won’t assist bylaw officers if they seek assistance,” said Tuttle. 

Another community member asked the police, “What can be done about the use of illegal drugs in the downtown core?”

In his response, Tuttle referred to an elevated police presence in the downtown core. He also pointed to plain clothes officers that are working to rid the downtown of illegal drug use. 

“In the last three to four months there has been an increase in police presence....well over 100 guns and drugs have been taken off the streets,” stated Tuttle.

Sean Preston, Program Manager at Addiction and Mental Health Services-Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington, also fielded this question.

“In addition to the Mobile Crisis Response Team, we have a Street Outreach Team and Crisis Team that do assertive outreach,” Preston explained. “If they find people under the influence, they would actively engage that individual, provide psycho education and, if they are willing, refer that individual to long-term addiction supports.”

Any conversation about homelessness would be incomplete without a discussion about housing. To that end, a community member asked the panel of service providers what the municipality was doing to enable the creation of more affordable housing.

“The Town of Greater Napanee, while we don't have a mandate to provide housing or interim housing, aims to be part of the solution,” said Grant. “This is why we sit with all our partners, including PELASS, that do work directly with housing.”

As per Lynn Chenier, a representative from PELASS (an agency that services both Lennox and Addington and Prince Edward County) there are 52 transitional housing units across the two counties and 98 people waiting for transitional housing. Those 98 individuals are either homeless or precariously housed.

The forum, in and of itself, was intended as a means to gather and share information regarding this topic. From this, one thing made clear is the first step toward tackling homelessness is to form a Parks Bylaw and Encampment Protocol. Furthermore, this will likely be an ongoing issue shared by many communities across Canada.

“Our long term goal is to manage this issue as best we can. It's not within the Town’s ability to solve this issue-it’s a national, societal issue,” said Grant. “We are seeking to create predictability for people who are housed and unhoused, so they know where they can go . In terms of municipal land for affordable housing we are having conversations with the the County of L&A  about how we might support them in their efforts to provide affordable housing. Those conversations continue.”

For more information about the Town of Greater Napanee's Parks and Public Space Bylaw and Encampment Response Protocol, or to provide feedback, please visit : https://letstalkgreaternapanee.ca/encampment-response-consultation