JASON SETNYK
Cornwall City Council has approved updates to its encampment bylaw, keeping in place a three-month time limit for shelters remaining in the same location and rejecting an amendment that would have cut that period in half.
Council endorsed By-law 2026-031 at a recent meeting and received the accompanying joint report from Legal Services and Housing Services for information. The report said the updated bylaw is intended to protect municipal land dedicated for public purposes while regulating shelters in a manner consistent with Canadian case law and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Much of council’s discussion focused on the existing provision that allows shelters to remain in the same location for up to three consecutive months before they must be removed or relocated at least 50 metres away. Councillor Denis Sabourin argued that three months was too long and proposed reducing the period to six weeks.
“I think that that timeframe is too long,” Sabourin said. “It gives them a certain feeling of security that I think can be abused.”
Sabourin said the city already spends significant money on homelessness supports and suggested a shorter time limit would better reflect public concerns about encampments on municipal property. He said some residents are frustrated and want a more assertive response.
Administration said a shorter timeline would not give staff enough time to connect encampment residents with housing and needed supports, and would likely result in people being required to relocate repeatedly without accessing those supports.
Manager of Human Services Lisa Smith told council that “anything shorter than three months doesn’t give us enough time to get them housed.”
“What would happen as an outcome of making it six weeks is they just circle around different areas and move through and start a new six-week period in different locations,” Smith said.
Director of Legal and Legislative Services Wayne Meagher said the city’s bylaw is built around what he described as a “reasonable regulator” approach, which has been supported by Ontario courts, rather than an aggressive enforcement model. He said the time limit is only one part of a broader framework that also includes size restrictions, setback rules, fire safety measures, inspections, notices, warnings, and last-resort enforcement.
“Cornwall has been very successful at ending encampments and stopping excesses and not having permanent encampments, just through voluntary action,” Meagher said.
Several councillors sided with administration and opposed the amendment.
Councillor Elaine MacDonald said reducing the time limit would not solve the underlying issue if housing is still unavailable. “Let’s just get them into housing as fast as we can,” she said.
Councillor Dean Hollingsworth questioned what practical benefit a shorter deadline would have if people could simply move their tents a short distance and set them up again. “It just feels like it’s gonna tie up a lot of staff to not really change anything in the long run,” he said.
“If we just create enough nuisance for them… maybe a homeless person says I’m tired of moving my tent, so I’ll go someplace else… If that’s the goal, maybe that would work,” Hollingsworth added.
Councillor Fred Ngoundjo said reducing the time limit would add pressure both to people living in tents and to city staff. “We have to find solutions,” he said. “We have to show more humanity regarding those issues.”
Councillor Todd Bennett also voted against the amendment, saying the real goal should be housing people as quickly as possible, regardless of the bylaw’s timeline. “If they’re housed at any time, that’s a win,” he said.
The amendment was defeated, and council then approved the main motion.
The updated bylaw keeps the city’s current approach in place while making several adjustments, including recognizing eco-sensitive areas such as the Rotary Eco Gardens.
The bylaw confirms the encampment response team as officers for administering the bylaw, and maintaining compliance-based enforcement aimed at ending temporary encampments while connecting people with housing and support services.
L’article Encampment bylaw approved, council keeps 90-day limit est apparu en premier sur Cornwall Seaway News.
