Barrie, Ontario, a small city of 145,000 people, is experiencing an escalating homelessness emergency. In answer to these public safety concerns, local officials are beginning to take action and sweep encampments. Police discovered the bodies of two people in a sprawling encampment. This chilling discovery led to a double homicide investigation. The original wooded area, which was bordered on all sides by Victoria, John and Anne streets, is now fenced in. A heartbreaking memorial lies inside, filled with flowers and pictures remembering all the victims.
Local officials, led by Barrie’s Mayor Alex Nuttall, have responded by declaring a state of emergency over the encampments. In part, they’re reacting to increased lawlessness and threats to safety on city property. Nuttall said the city has cleared almost ten encampments to date. He urged participants to take advantage of abundant resources aimed at helping displaced communities.
It’s an ambitious, tough issue to address, but the city is going for it. So far, 49 of 66 displaced people have readily taken up offers for shelter beds, hotel rooms or transitional housing. In the next two weeks, two more such shelters—a dedicated pet shelter and a family shelter—will open. Combined, they will offer more than 100 beds, including one shelter focused exclusively on youth.
For all of these bold leadership undertakings, thousands of residents still face an unclear future. Christine Nayler is a former lay local advocate. She created Ryan’s Hope in honor of her son, who sadly lost his life due to toxic drug poisoning in 2020, and she is now speaking out on the short-term nature of these solutions.
“Where are they supposed to go? You’re just … shuffling them all around the city at the taxpayers’ expense, causing more harm and trauma every single time that you do this,” – Christine Nayler
As a result of purging this information, Nayler has experienced homelessness intermittently for nearly 25 years. For her, like people such as Claire O’Connell, it is just better to live in encampments. O’Connell said it was near impossible to survive outside in such cold, wet weather.
“It’s cold and it’s wet and it’s difficult. It’s hard sleeping out here, like you’re tired all the time, you have no energy,” – Claire O’Connell
People in these encampments have a good deal of anxiety about their choices. After experiencing periods of homelessness, Shania Steeves is now fearful about her own future. In doing so she highlights the rigmarole and hardship that those living on the margins are forced to face.
“It’s scary. … Nothing good can come from this,” – Shania Steeves
Steeves condemned the practice of just moving people around instead of getting them into long-term, sustainable housing. She reflected on the emotional toll this takes on those who are in the fight.
“You can’t just keep pushing people further and further into survival mode, you can’t just keep taking away what little they have and expect that there’s not pushback,” – Shania Steeves
Confronted with these pressures, Barrie’s city council has responded by passing a major increase in funding for their affordable housing program. They increased the budget from $30 million to $80 million, on top of an additional $100 million previously granted for this important work. Many residents argue that social assistance and wages continue to lag behind the rising cost of housing, making it increasingly difficult to secure stable living arrangements.
Lori Douglas hasn’t been able to rent an apartment since her husband died two years ago. Now, she’s moved west, having made the painful decision to relocate from one encampment to another. She spoke for so many who like her are stuck in their situation.
“I’m just waiting for it to fall through or something like that, so I’m not too excited until we actually get in there and sign a lease,” – Claire O’Connell
The current state of affairs is dangerous for countless Americans. Since many local shelters would require residents to leave by 7 a.m., this would mean people would have to spend their entire day outside with no safe place to go. This cycle deepens their plight and causes many homeless people to choose the safety and social support of belonging to an encampment.
As Barrie moves to tackle its homelessness crisis, the demand for durable long-term solutions becomes more and more pressing. The city’s recent measures may provide temporary relief. Advocates stress that more comprehensive strategies are essential to ensure that those facing homelessness have a place to call home.
