Ontario city begins clearing encampments from public property after changing rules [Video]

The City of Hamilton says it has cleared more than a dozen encampments from public property as of this week under a municipal bylaw, following the council’s repeal of a protocol that had permitted them.

In 2023, the city approved an encampment protocol that allowed outdoor shelters as long as they followed specific location guidelines — such as distance requirements from some community facilities — and did not have a cluster of more than five tents.

The protocol was part of the city’s effort to manage encampments while supporting homeless people and committing to permanent housing solutions, as rates of homelessness rose in Hamilton and across the province.

The protocol was rescinded effective March 6 after a council vote in January, and municipal law enforcement officers and Hamilton police have now begun enforcing a city bylaw that prohibits camping in city parks.

In a social media post Thursday, the city said that 16 encampments had been cleared from …