Homelessness is a complex issue, says city and advocates, after Windsor encampment cleared
CBC
The recent cleanup of a small encampment in Sandwich Town is "phase one," according to a Windsor councillor. However, the issue touches on much deeper problems, and can be unsettling for people who live near them, advocates say.
A team consisting of city staff, bylaw enforcement, and social services recently removed a small encampment where at least one person was staying on the city's west side.
It was brought to their attention when a local resident notified 311, said Ward 2 Coun. Fabio Costante.
Costante said the cleanup does not address the root issues of homelessness, mental health and addiction in the community, especially those that have "skyrocketed" during and after COVID-19.
"It's a combination of social services, Windsor police, our bylaw team, our parks and rec team … working together and and doing this in the most humane, sensitive way possible ... while at the same time making sure that the area is clean and and doesn't hopefully attract future encampments."
Anthony Nelson is a board chair with Street Help in Windsor, an organization that does outreach for citizens living in poverty.
He said moving people from encampments can cause a lot of distress, especially when police are involved.
"They're trying their best to say well you know we have our stuff ... We have nowhere to go ... We are homeless," he said. "But you have to remember people have to watch what they're doing because they may be doing things that they shouldn't be doing there."
"That causes a problem because the city thinks ... if you come here and you're causing a scene, disrupting things, doing drugs around the area, then that is not where you should be and then the police are called."
Rukshini Ponniah-Goulin is the executive director of the Downtown Mission of Windsor — one of the three emergency shelters available in the city.
The Mission is considered to have Windsor's lowest-barrier, meaning it has the fewest rules for access.
Ponniah-Goulin said clearing encampments is an unfortunate necessity.
"We would hate to see people living outside, whether it be on the street or in in an encampment, when there are shelters in our city."
"We are not at capacity, so we would love to see people inside."
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