Peterborough City Council is asking the Province to clarify rules around shelter spaces to help municipalities regulate or prohibit encampments in parks and open spaces.
Council is seeking amendments to the Safer Municipalities Act, 2024, which sets guidelines for shelter availability when enforcing encampment regulations. The proposed changes include:
- Allowing shelters that prohibit drug use or other risky activities to still count as adequate shelter.
- Requiring the number of available shelter spaces to match the number of people needing shelter or affected by enforcement actions.
The request stems from a 2023 court ruling in Waterloo, which expanded the definition of adequate shelter spaces to include accommodations for drug use, creating enforcement challenges for cities.
Council says the lack of clarity has made it difficult to maintain control over parks and open spaces. Vote on final approval of the motion will take place at Monday’s meeting.
