Proposed changes to bylaws aimed at preventing city parks from becoming homeless encampments drew long and impassioned debate at the Committee of the Whole.
In the end a key proposal to place time limits on camping in parks was eliminated. The proposed amendment would have restricted people from congregating in one area of a park for a maximum of 6 hours, and would have required those camping/sheltering in parks to move at least 100 metres after a 12-hour period.
Councillor Ben Isitt said he doesn't think the public is bothered by what's been going on:
" If I thought there was a crisis in our parks system in terms of people sheltering and the impacts were becoming completely unbearable for the wider community there may be some remedial action needed as we build the transitional housing needed to eliminate homelessness. But I'm just not hearing it."
But Councillor Charlayne Thorton Joe says she is seeing public outrage. She says she's received emails from frustrated people who want council to do more to lobby for solutions for homelessness, but also to listen more to those who want to use the parks:
" I think the public have shown compassion, have shown patience. But I think there is a bit of a tipping point. And I think the tipping point has been reached because of the issues of homelessness, and addictions issues, and the issue of the opioid crisis. All of that has contributed to compounding to issues that are bringing this to the table today."
Recommendations that were approved include: the ability to close parks for needed work; prohibition on interfering with city staff as they work in parks; and authority to impound property unlawfully left in parks. Councillors rejected a proposed $25 fee to reclaim sized items.