City Staff recommend more designated tenting sites in HRM

CITYnews halifax / By Mark Hodgins

A new report to council on homelessness in HRM says the municipality needs more designated tenting locations — and fast.

In their report, city staff said there are about 30 homeless encampment sites in HRM right now — and only five are designated as such.  The report also says Grand Parade, Victoria Park, the Correctional Ball Field, and Geary Street are critically overcrowded.

Staff are asking council to sign off on new designated locations:

• Grand Parade with a proposed occupancy of 8 or fewer tents
• Victoria Park with a proposed occupancy of 12 or fewer tents
• The berms on University Avenue with a proposed occupancy of 6 or fewer tents
• Martins Park with a proposed occupancy of 4 or fewer tents
• Beaufort Park with a proposed occupancy of 4 or fewer tents
• Saunders Park with a proposed occupancy of 8 or fewer tents (if required)

Staff says a dramatic increase in people sleeping rough continues — the by-name list now over 1,000 people, and staff say that doesn’t cover everyone experiencing homelessness.

Staffers are also planning to work with the province to look at making a recently announced winter shelter a year-round option.