Starting November 17, Winnipeg will implement new regulations banning tents near playgrounds, schools, daycare centers, transit shelters, and riverbanks to improve public safety. These changes aim to address homelessness while outreach teams work to connect individuals in tents with housing and support services.
Cindy Gilroy, a Winnipeg city councillor, recently visited Halifax to learn from its approach to managing homeless encampments. In 2022, Halifax created designated camping sites as an emergency response to its housing crisis. These sites were equipped with portable washrooms, garbage collection, and electricity, offering more support than Winnipeg’s unmanaged encampments. Gilroy found the Halifax sites to be cleaner and safer, with less need for police and fire responses. However, Halifax has faced challenges, including violence and concerns about the proximity of sites to residential areas. As a result, the city is closing one of the last three designated sites.
Marion Willis, founder of St. Boniface Street Links in Winnipeg, believes the city could build on Halifax’s model by establishing a managed “encampment-to-housing” pilot site, providing both services and a clear housing mandate. As Winnipeg’s encampment restrictions begin, outreach teams will continue to connect people living outdoors with indoor housing options.
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