Homeless people in West Nipissing are looking for a new place to camp after being evicted from a town property.
On Thursday, November 23, homeless who set up camp on Coursol Road in Sturgeon Falls were asked to leave and given 24-hour notice to vacate. “All members of the encampment are vacating peacefully,” the municipality noted.
The lot on Coursol Road is used as a site for the winter road maintenance program “and is subject to heavy-machinery traffic.” For safety’s sake, “residents are asked not to camp on municipal property.”
The municipality clarified that shelter options were available to members of the encampment prior to giving the notice to vacate, and outreach workers “have been on-site to connect individuals with housing and support services.”
See: West Nipissing council denies motion to halt homeless evictions
West Nipissing is continuing to work with regional resources to “address the growing challenges of homelessness and encampments in the community,” the municipality noted in a recent release.
This collaboration includes members of the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board (DNSSAB), Crisis Centre North Bay, Low Income People Involvement of Nipissing (LIPI), the Ontario Provincial Police, and True Self, an outreach organization contracted by the DNSSAB.
“The fire, emergency and by-law staff are continuing to build a rapport with the individuals and with local volunteers,” as well, and the municipality has offered transportation to those at the encampment and the option of storage “for those who cannot take all of their belonging to a shelter or other accommodation.”
“I am pleased with the coordinated effort between local and regional resources over the last couple of weeks,” noted Jay Barbeau, West Nipissing’s Chief Administrative Officer.
“This model of collaboration will serve us well as we continue to navigate such a difficult issue,” Barbeau said. “Although these are not long-term solutions, everyone at the table believes that these actions are in the interest of safety for those experiencing homelessness in our community at this time.”