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Marie-Josée Houle, a federal housing advocate, is urging the government to provide steady funding so cities can better manage homeless encampments.
This suggestion comes from a report Houle released last week after visiting five southern Ontario cities in September: Hamilton, Cambridge, Kitchener, London, and Toronto.
“We’ve written a few letters of concern where the responses were directly violating human rights and an opportunity to educate city councils that were taking some of these terrible – I’m going to not mince words – terrible steps that were leading to more of the criminalization of poverty and homelessness rather than addressing the root causes,” Houle told CBC Kitchener-Waterloo’s Craig Norris, host of The Morning Edition, on Thursday.
“We thought it would be really important to go see for ourselves and meet people who are experiencing homelessness, what their experiences are, what some of the solutions they want to see, and then the agencies that are supporting them, as well as a few elected officials. So that’s exactly what we did.”
In her report, Houle points out several common issues found in all five cities including:
Breakdowns in multiple systems and bureaucratic barriers were driving people to homelessness. This includes a “severe shortage of affordable and accessible units.”Emergency shelters are not long-term housing solutions. Extreme weather increases the risks people who are homeless face. Women and gender-diverse people face heightened risks when in shelters, shelter hotels and encampments. Community organizations are overstretched and “increasingly face hostility from the public and municipal leaders.”Federal and provincial funding is not adequate.
“My report really calls on the federal government, well, all levels of government actually, to expand and sustain federal investments in the human rights-based responses to encampments,” Houle said.
“That means meaningful engagement with the people living there and not just making decisions and decisions quickly because those don’t work.”
9 recommendations
The report gives nine suggestions for what the federal government should do:
Expand and sustain federal investments in human rights-based responses to encampments. End forced encampment evictions and stop criminalizing homelessness. Stop using coercive methods that force people into choosing between eviction or poor housing. Integrate housing services with health care. Set up culturally specific and trauma-informed support programs for Indigenous peoples. Address gender-based violence along with systemic issues. Develop strategies with resources for handling extreme weather year-round. Support community organizations so they can keep doing their work. Make sure refugee claimants have access to adequate housing through proper funding.
During her trip on Sept. 22-23, Houle visited both Cambridge and Kitchener.
She notes in her report that many homelessness services tend to be based in Kitchener “for historic and socio-economic reasons. Nonetheless, homelessness is increasing throughout the region.”
The Region of Waterloo mostly handles funding aimed at fighting homelessness but individual cities make decisions about housing development or how they deal with camps themselves.
Graffiti is seen on barriers at the Kitchener encampment as pictured on Friday. (Kate Bueckert/CBC)
Troubles reported in Cambridge
Houle wrote that encampments in Cambridge tend to be “small” but scattered around-and folks living there often feel they’re at risk of being pushed out.
The report says locals told her Cambridge feels like a “service desert” compared with nearby Kitchener.“The advocate heard that people living in encampments.. feel they are not being listened to when they express their needs or share solutions,” it states.
A number also said some city officials acted hostile towards advocates helping these communities-outreach workers faced harassment during evictions while residents talked about vigilante watchfulness or even arson attacks targeting campsites.
CBC K-W reached out to Cambridge’s city officials about this report but hasn’t received any comments yet.
Kitchener camp facing clearance plans
The visit included stopping by an encampment near Victoria St., close by Weber street intersection which sits on regional land slated for new transit hub construction requiring site clearing.
A new bylaw was passed along with court involvement regarding clearing efforts.
This process has made residents feel more uncertain due primarily due fear over possible evictions according local reports shared by Houle.
The people she met also said basic needs weren’t adequately met nor were they asked about service priorities.
A number raised worries about violence or trafficking happening around motels or camps.
Houle mentioned regional authorities acknowledged these concerns saying staff “are aware” plus steps underway aiming at improving safety.
The regional office emailed CBC K-W Monday stating: “We know about this federal housing advocate’s recent report; we’re reviewing it alongside our ongoing work toward ending chronic homelessness.”
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