‘We moved out here to get away from that’

WATERLOO REGION - Chris Field and Denise Sprentz lived in downtown Hamilton and left the city in November for a more quiet and secluded four-acre property on Erbs Road in Wilmot Township.

Two weeks after they leased the property, they got a notice in the mail that Waterloo Region's first managed outdoor encampment would be adjacent to their home, about 45 metres away.

With a consignment shop in downtown Hamilton, the pair often helped those experiencing homelessness and at times had to tell some to move away from their stairwell.

We watched a woman die (of an overdose) in front of us," Sprentz said in an interview after a public meeting on the outdoor shelter at the Waterloo Memorial Recreational Complex Thursday night.

The region is planning to open a managed outdoor encampment on regional land at 1001 Erbs Rd., in Wilmot Township next to the Waterloo Region Emergency Services Training and Research Centre in mid to late March. The project will house 50 people who are experiencing chronic homelessness.

The couple say everyone needs a home and they support the region in their task to end homelessness but say they are concerned about drug use at the encampment.

We moved out here to get away from that," Field said in an interview.

During a question-and-answer part of the meeting, Field asked officials from the region and The Working Centre if drugs would be allowed on site. He's concerned needles will be discarded on his property.

Our policy is not to stop drugs," said Joe Mancini, director of The Working Centre, who's agency will run and manage the site with staff 24-7.

Drugs will be used on site," he said but added, There is no desire for this to be a drug site."

You are the only neighbour. We are going to look after you. We are committed to that," Mancini said.

Staff will respond to concerns right away and ensure everyone is treated with respect, Mancini told the audience of about 60 people.

When the King Street emergency shelter opened last fall, staff meet with businesses nearby, including the high school to encourage communication, and when problems occurred they were addressed immediately, Mancini said.

It's about dialogue and treating you with respect," Mancini told another resident who has lived on Erbs Road for 60 years. The man, who didn't want to be named, lives one property over from the site and said residents were not consulted. He told officials he feared what the encampment will look like, referring to the unmanaged encampments on Victoria Street North and Victoria Park in Kitchener.

Regional commissioner Peter Sweeney, who is responsible for housing and homelessness, said the site was chosen because the land is owned by the region, which allowed the region to move quickly to get the encampment up and running and to relieve pressure on downtown cores where unsanctioned encampments are located.

This is not an act of consultation," he said.

The region is responding to a crisis and acted quickly by implementing a two-year interim housing plan last August, Sweeney said.

Councillors approved the plan which includes the outdoor shelter, money for transitional and supportive housing, more rent supports and opening an Indigenous-centred and Indigenous-led housing project.

Sweeney referred to three large, unsafe and unsanctioned" encampments and said the region is trying to provide a safer alternative where minors will not be allowed" with the Erbs Road site.

I can assure you that our goal is to make this a safe and dignified site," Sweeney told the crowd. You have my commitment that we will do that."

The outdoor shelter will house 50 people in individual cabins. A larger community hub on site will offer food servery, laundry facilities, washrooms and a community space where residents can access assistance with housing, mental health supports and addictions.

In its presentation, the region said there are 1,085 people experiencing homelessness locally and 412 of them are living rough, either in encampments or in vehicles.

The local emergency shelter system has 539 beds and each night almost all are occupied. About 30 beds are empty, Sweeney said.

Mancini credited the region for changing how it operates to create more shelter spaces and devise a plan to address homelessness.

The region partners with The Working Centre to support 80 people in motel rooms, 100 people at the King Street emergency shelter and 80 people at the University Avenue interim housing project. This occurs every night, Mancini said.

The region has doubled the shelter system during the pandemic," he said.

Despite their concerns, both Field and Sprentz said they felt heard after the meeting.

It has made me feel better," Sprentz said. They are good people trying to do the right thing for other people."

It is what is. If we can help The Working Centre control the negatives, we will," Field said.

Another public meeting on the outdoor shelter will be held virtually on Jan. 31.

Liz Monteiro is a Waterloo Region-based general assignment reporter for The Record. Reach her via email: lmonteiro@therecord.com