TIMMINS - A project to create a temporary encampment site is moving to the next step, with assurances that the city has "exit ramps" along the way.
A municipally owned Pine Street South property near Timmins' main landfill has been chosen for the proposed housing, outreach, protection and engagement (HOPE) initiative. It's for a mining camp-style setup with up to 40 temporary housing spaces.
Approving the location doesn't mean the project is definitely moving ahead.
Tuesday's decision allows the city to start talking to the Cochrane District Services Board (CDSB) about leasing or selling the approved property for the project. That step will only be approved once council members are happy with CDSB's plans for running the site.
“It is a big step, but I guess it’s not a risky step, that we always have our warranty. That we can go back on our warranty and say no, it’s not what we wanted and we’re turning it back in,” said Coun. John Curley.
A city-run survey about the site location received about 3,500 responses. The top choice was Pine Street South with 1,154 respondents (33.61 per cent) choosing it. The runner-up was 'none of the above', which 844 people (24.58 per cent) favoured.
Located on the west side of the rural road near the Deloro landfill, it's 5.9 kilometres from downtown and has no permanent water or sewer connections. An unapproved encampment has been set up on the property before.
There's no city transportation or other services in the area.
"It's pretty far out there. Now, just because there was an encampment there during the summertime doesn't mean that people want to be out there," said Coun. Cory Robin.
Later in the meeting, he argued people looking for shelter don't want to go down Pine Street South.
“It’s scary, it’s dark. And the people who go down there go down there on purpose because there’s no police down there because it’s lawless,” he said.
The HOPE conversation is happening because the city asked the CDSB to apply for provincial encampment response initiative cash. The CDSB was given $3.194 million in capital. To access that cash, the province needs a signed deal from the city and CDSB by Friday, March 21.
The HOPE initiative is at tomorrow's (March 20) CDSB meeting, though no report is attached to the agenda item.
What the site could look like will take shape through the CDSB's tender process for the units. While the CDSB will own the structure, it's not clear who will run the facility yet or how much it will cost to operate. The province has not committed any operational cash.
“I don’t have a good feeling on any of this, but I guess in order to find out what DSSAB is going to do, what anybody is going to do, is to pass this, as much as I don’t want to. I personally don’t think it’s going to work," said Curley.
As times get tough, Curley questioned the ongoing funding it could require from CDSB.
“Their bills, their costs, comes back to all the municipalities. So if their costs are going to go up to operate, that bill will be sent to all municipalities, including this one who pays the lion’s share of it all,” said Curley.
Coun. Steve Black had no issues supporting the item because it has to return to the council table before moving ahead.
"I do have lots of questions that need to be answered," he told council.
His questions range from transportation to food, and what the temporary site could mean for the future of the existing Living Space facility.
Making a decision on the temporary encampment site is listening to the public's demands for action, said Coun. Kristin Murray.
She noted it's only one piece in a bigger puzzle that the community has to put together.
“We’re really relying on this to be the end-all, be-all, but we really need to think about other strategies as well. This is one area so I’m concerned that this has consumed all of our attention, but we’re not also focusing on other efforts to continue to keep that conversation going,” she said.