Several people who were recently living and gathering under the Third Street Bridge in Chatham have all found shelter.
Chatham-Kent's mayor Darrin Canniff said it was cleared up earlier this week, adding that it was an unsafe space to be with the river right there.
He said the municipality was able to find housing for the affected persons in other places after working with them to reach a solution.
Chatham-Kent police reported this week that homelessness continues to be challenging for officers and the community. An annual police report released this week showed homelessness is one the issues that continues to "dominate" the work that officers in the Community Mobilization Section (CMS) do.
According to police, officers try to mediate and resolve issues but added that it’s difficult because people are not willing to cooperate very often.
Police brass noted officers rely on community partners to make referrals to proper agencies and get people connected to services that can serve them.
They also highlight a Canadian Human Rights report saying the punitive approach towards encampments is "failing."
