City Staff recommends more designated tenting sites in HRM - Halifax.CityNews.ca

A new report to council on homelessness in Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) said the municipality needs more designated tenting locations – and fast.

In their report, city staff said there are about 30 homeless encampment sites in HRM right now – and only five are designated as such.  The report also says Grand Parade, Victoria Park, the Correctional Ball Field, and Geary Street are critically overcrowded.

Staff are asking council to sign off on new designated locations:

• Grand Parade with a proposed occupancy of eight or fewer tents
• Victoria Park with a proposed occupancy of 12 or fewer tents
• The berms on University Avenue with a proposed occupancy of six or fewer tents
• Martins Park with a proposed occupancy of four or fewer tents
• Beaufort Park with a proposed occupancy of four or fewer tents
• Saunders Park with a proposed occupancy of eight or fewer tents (if required)

Staff says a dramatic increase in people sleeping rough continues — the by-name list now over 1,000 people, and staff say that doesn’t cover everyone experiencing homelessness.

Staffers are also planning to work with the province to look at making a recently announced winter shelter a year-round option.

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City Staff recommends more designated tenting sites in HRM - Halifax.CityNews.ca
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