The mayor of Chatham-Kent wants more tools given to municipalities to help deal with homeless encampments.
Darrin Canniff shared his thoughts on Monday at CK council's meeting days after signing a letter asking the Ontario Government to consider using the notwithstanding clause to help communities better manage these sites.
Specifically, the letter mentioned the municipality's ability to regulate and prohibit them.
Canniff hopes the province would never need to use the notwithstanding clause, but believes the option should be available.
"We're in a crisis situation right now and it's gonna get worse, so the municipality needs as many tools as we can get to help manage it," he said.
In his opinion, Canniff explained the province could use the clause to help municipalities move encampments to more appropriate places. He noted it's not to criminalize the homeless which was a concern brought forward by Councillor Alysson Storey.
The letter also asks for the province to implement a drug and diversion court system which would focus on rehabilitation instead of incarceration and strengthen mandatory community-based and residential mental health care to help people dealing with addictions.
Meanwhile, CK council also approved an encampment strategy at Monday's meeting.
Since the municipality can't shutdown these sites due to a decision by the Ontario Supreme Court which allows them to be set up on public lands if all shelter space is being used, they've come up with plans on where they can be set up.
Tents must be a certain distance from playgrounds, schools, sidewalks, publicly-used buildings, and more. If they're not, an Outreach Provider will speak with the people and try and help them find a suitable spot. Those who refuse to move will be given a notice of trespass before being forcible removed if okayed by municipal legal services.
Municipal workers will also be visiting all encampments on a weekly basis to speak with all residents while also sharing supports available to them.
Canniff said this plan basically encompasses all the municipality can legally do.
"We have limitations on what we can do and we've experienced that in the past. We're trying to balance the rights of all citizens," he added.
CK council also approved on Monday having Reach out Chatham-Kent (R.O.C.K) increase housing-focused outreach services to seven days per week until March 31, 2025, and giving the Director of Housing Services the ability to approve additional sanitation, garbage removal, and security around these encampments.