With an eye on public safety, city council is poised to set new rules for encampments about what can and can’t be done on lands owned and operated by the municipality.
Unanimously approved Tuesday evening, the motion directs staff to create a draft bylaw in time for council to consider approval of before the end of next month.
“We’re concerned about the safety of people in encampments,” Coun. Rodrigo Goller, who brought the motion forward, told GuelphToday. “We’re all on the same page that we need to ensure that people in Guelph, whether you’re walking the park or on any city property, we want to make sure people are safe.”
Goller is one of two councillors who represent the downtown area.
The motion followed an in-camera conversation that saw council receive legal advice on the prospect of such a bylaw.
In preparing the draft bylaw, Goller explained staff is to look into what other cities are doing and come back with recommendations for Guelph council to consider. Local agencies that regularly interact with people living in encampments are also to be consulted.
The draft bylaw is expected to be released in time for council to receive public input on its contents, as well as receive presentations from delegates ahead of consideration of approval.
“We know it’s a tight timeline but we do want to hear from the public,” the councillor added.
According to a news release from the city, a special council meeting will be set for Feb. 14, with council consideration expected on Feb. 27.
Usually bylaws can take several months to draft, Goller noted, but this is an “urgent” matter in light of a fire at the St. George’s Square encampment early Tuesday morning.
Asked what he’d like the bylaw to achieve, Goller said, “At this point it just gives us some guidelines for what is allowed, what is not allowed. I know there were heaters ... there was propane being used. We just want to have clear guidelines on what is acceptable, what puts people in danger, what puts the folks in encampments and the folks not in encampments in danger so we have clear parameters for city bylaw (enforcement officers).”
Coun. Leanne Caron was absent from Tuesday’s council meeting.
