'I’d give them a one-way ticket out of here!' Sarnia councillor reacts in wake of police investigation at homeless encampment
The City of Sarnia will not clear out a homeless encampment in a city park anytime soon.
The decision comes after a heated debate and multiple legal opinions — it also came just an hour before a serious stabbing occurred.
On Tuesday, tents lined a ridge at Rainbow Park, just south of the downtown.
The encampment is home to dozens of people experiencing homelessness. Many, including Justin, told CTV News London they are tired of shelters.
“I just want to be in a home safe. Be able to wake up comfortably and have my own privacy,” Justin said.
But the encampment is a concern for nearby neighbours and a source of political division.
Sarnia Coun. Bill Dennis did not mince words and wants the encampment gone immediately.
Justin, seen on May 7, 2024, has been living at an encampment inside Rainbow Park in Sarnia, Ont. for the last two months. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)“If I had it my way, I’d give them a one-way ticket out of here. It would be cheaper in the long run. And, it would be better for the citizens of Sarnia,” he said.
But at a meeting Monday, lawyers told councillors they don’t have the right to tear the camp down.
In turn, Mayor Mike Bradley said a new plan to act is being drawn up which will involve support from a Lambton County committee.
“We need to deal with this. And, we need to mitigate the problem,” Bradley explained. “We can’t solve it, but we can try to mitigate it. And that takes a community effort.”
Yet within the hour of the council ending on Monday, the stabbing occurred. On Tuesday afternoon, the Sarnia Police Service announced a 33-year-old man is facing an attempted murder charge.
Police, who were back in the park Tuesday for an unrelated matter, said the victim will recover.
But Dennis said the stabbing is another example of why the park needs to be cleared. He contends some inside need help with drug addiction, not a place to camp.
Coun. Bill Dennis is seen in Sarnia, Ont. on May 7, 2024. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)“There is misguided empathy for these people,” he said. “I believe in tough love. There are rules in life.”
Dennis said the police need to “step up” for the safety of residents and nearby property owners.
But Bradley countered officers will not act without a court injunction. It is a move he said that would not even be considered if the province took the lead on homelessness.
“We’ve got 444 municipalities and yet they’re all struggling alone to figure this out,” he explained. “Bring us together and let the province take the lead. We will be there to support them.”
Back at the camp, support and compassion is all Justin is asking for.
“I’d like for those people to be in our shoes and see how pain really feels,” he said. “I mean by pain, no place to live.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Infant dies in ATV crash, N.S. RCMP says alcohol may be a factor
An infant has died and three others, including another child, were taken to hospital following an ATV crash in Forties, N.S., on Monday.
Canadians are eyeing moves to these cities for more affordable housing
Faced with elevated housing prices, half of Canadians in the country's largest cities are considering moving to places with more affordable housing.
Charges against world's top golfer Scottie Scheffler dropped after arrest outside PGA Championship
Criminal charges against Scottie Scheffler have been dismissed, ending a legal saga that began with images of the world’s top male golfer being arrested and handcuffed in Louisville during the PGA Championship.
'Do not drive': Nissan warns Canadian drivers of explosion risk impacting 48,000 vehicles
Car manufacturer Nissan has issued a do-not-drive warning for some older vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators, due to the risk of explosion during a crash.
'Scandals and secrets': On board the world's most exclusive private residential ship
It’s a floating city exclusively home to the 1 per cent, a playground for multimillionaires and billionaires that circumnavigates the world's oceans.
Tessa Virtue reveals she's expecting her first child. Here's what Canadians had to say
Canadian figure-skating icon Tessa Virtue is expecting her first child, she revealed via social media Tuesday.
How Trump's hush money trial verdict could affect the 2024 election
Here is how three potential outcomes from the jury room ─ a guilty verdict, an acquittal or a hung jury ─ could affect the presidential campaign.
'Are you driving?' U.S. man with suspended licence shows up on court Zoom call while behind the wheel
A Michigan man with a suspended driver's licence didn't appear to have thought through a recent court appearance made on video, joining the Zoom call while driving.
An Iceland volcano starts erupting again, spewing lava into the sky
A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted Wednesday for the fifth time since December, spewing red streams of lava in the latest display of nature’s power and triggering the evacuation of the popular Blue Lagoon geothermal spa.