The Notwithstanding Clause to Dismantle Homeless Encampments
The Notwithstanding Clause to Dismantle Homeless Encampments
The Niagara Poverty Reduction Network (NPRN) supports the position of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness on the use of force and threat of criminalization to clear encampments. As a network we encourage everyone to sign this petition and share it through your social channels.
Across Ontario, the rising cost of living and unaffordable housing have forced more people into homelessness, with many resorting to encampments in public spaces. But tents in parks are not the answer—everyone deserves a safe and stable home.
NPRN does not support the use of the notwithstanding clause to dismantle encampments by force; as was suggested by Premier Ford and recently supported by Niagara Falls, Welland, and St. Catharines mayors. Using police force and the threat of jail to clear encampments is neither compassionate nor effective. Houselessness is an emergency, and we should respond to it as we would to any disaster—with care, shelter, and support, not punishment.
Real solutions require communities to work together with those affected to provide safe, secure housing options. The only real cure for homelessness is a permanent home.
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