The City will bring in a new policy in response to homeless encampments.
It looks at best practices and it ensures respect, compassion and collaborative approach.
“In consultation with the legal department, we thought it was necessary to bring forward to council a policy for their approval to ensure council was fully aware of the current approach,” GM of Protective Services Jeff Preston told City Council members during a Committee of the Whole meeting this week.
He adds that an approved encampment response protocol policy provides clear guideline for municipal staff, encampment resident, advocacy groups and the general public.
“We brought in community policing, RCMP, shelter operators, as well as the province of New Brunswick, and really had a round table discussion on, what we are currently doing. We looked at, are there things that we should change, are modification unnecessary? We worked with this group and helped reform the basis of this policy. This policy really encompasses what the current practices have been and are currently are,” Preston said.
He stressed that the guiding principles are trust and treating everyone with respect and understanding, getting the assistance individuals need with the proper supports, so that everyone can enjoy public spaces.
“A big part of it is community consultation. We want to continue to work with our partners in the community outreach, shelter providers, the YMCA program, the provincial government, and we want to be constantly self evaluating and evolving. We work collaboratively with our partners to address challenges and find effective solutions, because we know, the situation changes constantly. There’s always new variables being thrown and we have to be dynamic,” Preston stressed.
Under the protocol policy, the YMCA will be the primary point of contact, establishing and maintaining ongoing communication with individuals residing in encampments.
On public land, before action is taken, the City and its partners will engage in a collaborative discussion to determine the most appropriate and supportive course of action.
The appropriate individuals will speak with the residents who live in the encampment to understand their needs and to try and find them the supports they need. A reasonable timeframe must also be given, usually between 48 and 72 hours. The residents will also be offered storage for personal belongings if available. The residents will also be offered alternative locations including access to shelters and housing.
“Any encampment that we become aware of either through a complaint process or being out there and we become aware of, will be dismantled at some point,” Preston said.
He added that there are currently around 25 encampments that they are aware of in the City of Moncton, but there may be others, with the majority in the downtown core.
The costs involved in cleaning up an encampment can range between $400, 000 to half a million dollars.
All City Council members voted in favour of the response, except for Councillor Daniel Bourgeois who was unavailable.
