TIMMINS - There's an aggressive timeline for the city to explore how and where an alternative to encampments could work.
Over the next couple of weeks, the city is going to the public for input on possible locations for an encampment relocation site, which has been dubbed the housing, outreach, protection and engagement (HOPE) initiative. It's a project with the Cochrane District Services Board (CDSB) to use over $3.1 million in provincial cash.
If approved, it could create a designated space for a mining camp-type setup or other modular housing to temporarily house people.
The public feedback will be shared with council members before they decide how to move forward.
The turnaround time for a decision is tight — the province needs the signed deal by March 21.
While staff was given the go-ahead for public consultation on the locations, Timmins council members already have questions about how the initiative would work in the long run.
“I’m supporting this this evening specifically relating to the fact that we want to call on a public and transparent consultation. But down the road when this comes back, I’m very hesitant," Coun. Lorne Feldman said at the Feb. 18 council meeting.
"It looks great that we’re receiving $3.194 million but much like when you go to buy a cellular phone, oftentimes the phone is given to you for nothing and then you’re provided a $300 bill a month for the next four, five, 10 years."
The conversation is happening because in January CDSB was allotted money to create emergency shelter spaces and affordable housing units. It was publicly announced on the same day Timmins' application for a Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub was denied.
While the city and CDSB are working together on the HOPE initiative, the city is taking the lead on communications right now.
On Tuesday, a report from CAO Dave Landers laid out three options — to maintain the status quo, use city-owned land for HOPE to house 40 people, or a 40-unit HOPE complex that integrates the Living Space relocation into it.
Four municipally owned properties have been flagged for the initiative.
The locations will be shared next week when the public consultation opens up. It runs from Monday, Feb. 24 to Friday, March 14.
A summary of each location and how it meets the criteria will be available will be posted on the city website, along with a short survey and feedback form. A printed version of the survey will also be available in English and French at Service Timmins.
Several council members are supportive of having a site that integrates relocating the emergency shelter.
"I think that's forward-thinking, and I think that potentially serves different needs for our community. So that's where I'm heading," said Coun. Andrew Marks.
In July 2023, Coun. Steve Black pushed for CDSB to review the location of Living Space. While a review was held, the shelter remains on Spruce Street South in a residential area.
He wants to see the relocation included with a new venture.
"Hopefully we find a suitable place for encampments to be accommodated within the strict confines of our provincial regulations and legal aspects that is not in high traffic, parks, school yards, other places that are used for other purposes in the community," he said.
Coun. Rock Whissell wanted assurance that city staff would be taking care of sharing and collecting information.
"The city staff would be leading this. I assume there would be support from the DSSAB communications people, but it would be city-led," said Landers.
Up until September, Whissell was a council rep on the CDSB. After a heated meeting for the proposed Timmins HART Hub, he resigned from the board.
Whissell said the CDSB hasn't been as clear and precise as he'd like on past projects.
"And as a city councillor is sitting at this table making sure this project does go forward and is something that we could work together to make sure it's something that will help our community, I think is very important that it's done at this table, and not at the DSSAB table, where it's under individuals from other communities that are making decisions for us. So I think this is a great step forward, but I really want this communication to be done here locally," he said.
It wasn't all friendly banter at the table.
During Gvozdanovic's comments, he talked about engagement from the Indigenous community.
"We just can't keep telling Indigenous people, OK, well, you got to go here, you got to go there, and then you put a painting of an eagle in a room, and they're going to feel comfortable with that. When I watched an interview on TV, the elders were saying that it's a little bit different, there's different considerations. So there's a lot of stuff that that has to take place," he said.
A couple of minutes later, Coun. Cory Robin responded.
"I think it's hilarious to get lectured on Indigenous things from Coun. Gvozdanvoic. Yes, I'm just fuming for a few minutes," he said.
Gvozdanovic interjected with a "point of order" asking if Robin needed time to cool down. He pointed out that Tuesday was the first meeting Robin's been at this year and called the comments "cheap shots."
Mayor Michelle Boileau reminded members to not single anyone out personally.
Carrying on with his input, Robin said encampments are a euphemism for homeless people.
"When we start talking about where we're going to put encampments, is where we're putting people. And part about where we're putting people is, do we have the authority to grab you by the scruff of your neck, throw you in a car and drive you two kilometres over and say, 'Hey, this is your new place to live.' So we got to be careful about that," said Robin.
Gvozdanovic asked for clarification on whether or not the city's plan is to "drive people by the scruff of the neck."
"No, that's never been the situation, and it's not the plan going forward," said clerk Steph Palmateer.
Robin also talked about the "big community uprising" against the HART Hub location at the former Ramada Inn in the west end of town.
"I still think it's a great location. So when we start talking about a 40-unit complex, I still think that there is a great opportunity to put something outside of dense residential area of Ward 5, and put it into not the quite dense residential area of any of the other wards. I'm sure that there is space in wards 1, 2, 3, and 4 for something like an encampment. But I have yet to hear any councillor ... help solve Ward 5's problem of tents of parks, which is what we're working towards," he said.
Ongoing Costs
The potential cost to operate a 40-unit complex is not known.
The ongoing operating costs would be on the CDSB. Landers said it would have to come from shelter rates or funding from other levels of government.
"Failing that, all DSSAB costs but up in those other buckets become ours," Landers said.
The next CDSB meeting is on Thursday (Feb. 20).
The HOPE initiative is on the agenda but the report doesn't offer additional insight into the potential ongoing costs. The report from CDSB CAO Brian Marks says the additional capacity is needed. He blames the federal and provincial governments for not having a co-ordinated response to the growth of homelessness and projected growth of it.