Chatham-Kent council to talk homeless encampment rules, enforcement plan Monday night

After Monday's council meeting, it was decided a homeless encampment will remain in place. (Robert Lothian/CTV News Windsor)

Chatham-Kent council is expected to make some big calls Monday night on how the municipality deals with homeless encampments — and the decisions could shape the issue for years to come.

On the table is a new bylaw that would give real teeth to the rules council passed last fall.

It spells out where tents can and can’t go on municipal land, sets limits on the number of tents, and lays out expectations for keeping sites clean.

The bylaw would also give bylaw officers the power to issue orders, remove structures and, if needed, go to court to enforce the rules.

One of the sticking points has been how far encampments should be from nearby homes or businesses.

Council previously floated a 100-metre buffer but sent it back to staff to see what properties could actually meet that standard.

Staff have now crunched the numbers — and found that while four municipal sites technically fit the bill, three of them come with major safety, flooding, or legal issues.

That leaves the current Grand Avenue East site as the only workable option.

Also, up for a vote tonight: Whether to sign off on a $238,882 contract with Royal Protective Services for bylaw enforcement and security at the encampment site through the end of 2026.

The deal would come out of the municipality’s housing services reserve.

Councillors will have to decide on the setback distance, whether to pass the new bylaw and whether to commit to the long-term enforcement plan.

The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the Chatham-Kent Civic Centre.