Barrie mayor declares state of emergency over homeless encampments: ‘Our city will not allow lawlessness to take over’
By Anastasia Blosser, Staff Reporter
Mayor Alex Nuttall told a press conference Tuesday morning that the encampments throughout the city are “not acceptable.”
Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall declared a state of emergency on Tuesday morning in response to the city’s homeless encampments and the ongoing opioid emergency.
Under the declaration, Nuttall said the city will remove encampments, beginning with the ones nearest “critical infrastructure” and public spaces, and gain the ability to hire more staff and contractual services.
Nuttall’s declaration came after police held an update late last month on the killings and dismemberments of two men who lived at a local homeless encampment, though police noted they were not random, and the suspect was known to authorities.
The city will also request Simcoe county open additional shelter space for those living in the encampments. The emergency declaration covers city-run public spaces such as parks, sidewalks, trail systems and boulevards.
“Since day one I have been clear that encampments are not acceptable in the city of Barrie. We are here to help those who want help and there are resources available today. If you refuse that help you cannot stay in these encampments,” said Nuttall, flanked by a number of city councillors during a press conference.
Nuttall said homelessness, mental health and drug use are complex issues that have had a “measurable, significant and detrimental impact” on city land and the surrounding communities. He said people have been dealing with homicides, fires, overdoses, thefts, assaults, excessive E. coli levels in the city’s waterways, and more as a result of the encampments.
Nuttall said the city staff will also be immediately testing all waterways near encampments to understand how connecting ones, including Barrie’s lakefront, are being contaminated with human feces, resulting in “incredibly high” E. coli readings.
During the media conference, Nuttall requested immediate funding from the province to help the city carry out the planned initiatives.
Approximately 600 homeless people are living in Barrie, according to estimates from the city, though Nuttall said he believes the number could be higher.
Earlier this year, two men who lived at a Barrie encampment were killed and dismembered in what police have called an isolated and “not random” incident. A 52-year-old man who lived at the same encampment and was known to police was charged with more than two dozen offences, including first and second-degree murder and two counts of indignity to a dead body.
Following the deaths and a police investigation, the province’s Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks issued an order to the city to clean up the encampment site because the amount of hazardous waste could cause serious harm to the community, Nuttall said in a release. It is estimated to take several million dollars to accomplish.
The encampment was located near Anne and Victoria streets, close to Dyment’s Creek, which is historically had three waste sites along it, according to the City of Barrie website.
“The number of individuals living unhoused and/or in encampments has significantly increased in the City of Barrie since the COVID-19 pandemic,” Nuttall said.
During the pandemic, previous Barrie mayor Jeff Lehman issued an order that would permit camping and allow an encampment to form near Milligan’s Pond. Once the COVID-19 emergency ended, the order also expired.
The city was planning to remove the encampment because of drug abuse, organized criminal behaviour and panhandling but stepped back after activists intervened, Nuttall said.
In May 2023, Barrie’s city council adopted a motion to address “chronic homelessness” that including provincial and regional partnerships, applying for funding and allocating municipal funds for initiatives like shuttle services and a family reunification program.
Simcoe County received provincial funding for an encampment response initiative in January, though Nuttall didn’t share how much. The money was divided between Barrie, Midland, Collingwood and Orillia and was to be used for cleaning and enforcing encampment sites.
Barrie has received an 86 per cent increase in homelessness prevention funding in the last few years, while the average across Ontario sits around 45 per cent, according to Nuttall.
” We do not have a funding problem, we have an inability to be effective problem,” Nuttall said, adding that services like rehabilitation are taking too long.
Nuttall also criticized the legal system and accused judges of perpetuating the problems by throwing cases involving drug use or drug possession out of court.
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POLITICS: City of Barrie tackles problem of homelessness, seen as lawlessness
Barrie mayor declares state of emergency over homeless encampments: ‘Our city will not allow lawlessness to take over’
By Anastasia Blosser, Staff Reporter
Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall declared a state of emergency on Tuesday morning in response to the city’s homeless encampments and the ongoing opioid emergency.
Under the declaration, Nuttall said the city will remove encampments, beginning with the ones nearest “critical infrastructure” and public spaces, and gain the ability to hire more staff and contractual services.
Nuttall’s declaration came after police held an update late last month on the killings and dismemberments of two men who lived at a local homeless encampment, though police noted they were not random, and the suspect was known to authorities.
The city will also request Simcoe county open additional shelter space for those living in the encampments. The emergency declaration covers city-run public spaces such as parks, sidewalks, trail systems and boulevards.
“Since day one I have been clear that encampments are not acceptable in the city of Barrie. We are here to help those who want help and there are resources available today. If you refuse that help you cannot stay in these encampments,” said Nuttall, flanked by a number of city councillors during a press conference.
Nuttall said homelessness, mental health and drug use are complex issues that have had a “measurable, significant and detrimental impact” on city land and the surrounding communities. He said people have been dealing with homicides, fires, overdoses, thefts, assaults, excessive E. coli levels in the city’s waterways, and more as a result of the encampments.
Nuttall said the city staff will also be immediately testing all waterways near encampments to understand how connecting ones, including Barrie’s lakefront, are being contaminated with human feces, resulting in “incredibly high” E. coli readings.
During the media conference, Nuttall requested immediate funding from the province to help the city carry out the planned initiatives.
Approximately 600 homeless people are living in Barrie, according to estimates from the city, though Nuttall said he believes the number could be higher.
Earlier this year, two men who lived at a Barrie encampment were killed and dismembered in what police have called an isolated and “not random” incident. A 52-year-old man who lived at the same encampment and was known to police was charged with more than two dozen offences, including first and second-degree murder and two counts of indignity to a dead body.
Following the deaths and a police investigation, the province’s Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks issued an order to the city to clean up the encampment site because the amount of hazardous waste could cause serious harm to the community, Nuttall said in a release. It is estimated to take several million dollars to accomplish.
The encampment was located near Anne and Victoria streets, close to Dyment’s Creek, which is historically had three waste sites along it, according to the City of Barrie website.
“The number of individuals living unhoused and/or in encampments has significantly increased in the City of Barrie since the COVID-19 pandemic,” Nuttall said.
During the pandemic, previous Barrie mayor Jeff Lehman issued an order that would permit camping and allow an encampment to form near Milligan’s Pond. Once the COVID-19 emergency ended, the order also expired.
The city was planning to remove the encampment because of drug abuse, organized criminal behaviour and panhandling but stepped back after activists intervened, Nuttall said.
In May 2023, Barrie’s city council adopted a motion to address “chronic homelessness” that including provincial and regional partnerships, applying for funding and allocating municipal funds for initiatives like shuttle services and a family reunification program.
Simcoe County received provincial funding for an encampment response initiative in January, though Nuttall didn’t share how much. The money was divided between Barrie, Midland, Collingwood and Orillia and was to be used for cleaning and enforcing encampment sites.
Barrie has received an 86 per cent increase in homelessness prevention funding in the last few years, while the average across Ontario sits around 45 per cent, according to Nuttall.
” We do not have a funding problem, we have an inability to be effective problem,” Nuttall said, adding that services like rehabilitation are taking too long.
Nuttall also criticized the legal system and accused judges of perpetuating the problems by throwing cases involving drug use or drug possession out of court.
POSTS somewhat related to the above post...