Barrie council backs off on bylaws banning food, clothing distribution on city property

Barrie city council has pivoted on its plan to ban food, clothing and tent distribution to homeless people from city properties — for now.

Councillors referred the controversial bylaws back to staff at a meeting Wednesday night.

Council’s plan was to have the legislation be enforced, under the Provincial Offences Act, by bylaw officers or members of the Barrie Police Service, with individual fines set to range from $500 to $100,000, depending on the circumstance.

Mayor Alex Nuttall says the decision to send the bylaws back to city staff was made after the Busby Centre shelter submitted a letter to the city indicating it will move its daily outreach program away from the waterfront area.

“The same place where families were going to drop their kids off to a splash pad, unfortunately was being used as the same place for social-service programming. It was creating quite the issue,” Nuttall said.

The bylaw change was necessary due to “numerous” complaints from residents over many years, Nuttall added.

However, the city’s decision to review the bylaws comes in the wake of several protests in recent days.

Christine Nayler, founder of the Ryan’s Hope organization and a member of Moms Stop the Harm, called it a “small win” because the bylaws galvanized support for the city’s unsheltered population.

She was among the more than 20 people who have slept on the brickwork or in tents outside city hall since June 19, protesting the proposed rule changes.

“The fact I will be able to support my friends tomorrow, that is definitely a win,” said Nayler, adding she feels it’s a “tactic” to delay a decision.

Before the council meeting, dozens of residents gathered outside city hall, many holding signs and speaking out in opposition to the proposed rules.

“Charitable acts of kindness are central to our community,” Coun. Jim Harris said. “We do not want to punish that; that’s not the intent. I look forward to having a better bylaw that reflect what people really want.”

Marie-Josée Houle, a federal housing advocate whose non-partisan office works under the umbrella of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, had also urged council to backtrack.

“These measures would severely restrict access to basic shelter and food for people living in local homeless encampments and, as such, are in direct contravention of international human rights standards,” she wrote in a letter to members of council, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark.

“I am concerned that the proposed approach of the city to deny basic shelter to people living without access to housing or other safe and adequate formal shelter options will lead to a worsening of the crisis that your residents are experiencing,” she wrote.

Referring to a motion passed by council in mid-May that is meant to help the city deal with its homelessness crisis, Houle expressed “grave concern” and noted the country’s National Housing Strategy Act recognizes housing is a fundamental human right, “essential to the inherent dignity and well-being of the person.”

City staff will also look to modernize outdated language within existing bylaws that prevented individuals from handing out food and supplies, Nuttall said.

SHARE: