Hamilton to bolster cleanup outside encampments amid debris, waste complaints

Hamilton's Housing Services director says trash complaints tied to encampments have risen with the good weather and that city contractors are likely to help clean up.

Hamilton is set to expand cleanups of debris and waste connected with the city’s encampments to include some private properties.

The city’s housing director says the initiative comes amid litter complaints that have moved beyond city-owned parks and properties and into commercial areas as well as non-public entities.

In an update on the municipality’s encampment and homelessness issues, a general issues committee approved the request which could mean some of the tidying up spurred on by public complaints to the city’s encampment response web page could begin in weeks.

“Going forward, if there is litter on private property, the proposal – that will go to council next week – will allow clean up on private property and private small businesses in proximity to encampments, ” director Michelle Baird explained.

“We still need to go through a process to get a contractor in place to allow that to happen.”

Currently, the city fulfills encampment specific cleanups on a one-off basis as well as through a weekly scheduled bag pickup through its parks department.

Baird says general garbage, debris and sharp objects like needles are the biggest complaints received from residents.

Costs are expected to be picked up by the city, however, a ballpark figure on how that might impact the annual budget is still yet to be determined.