Timmins to hire a security guard for homeless encampment

Timmins hires temporary overnight security for a two-block radius around a Spruce Street shelter, citing safety concerns around a homeless encampment there.

With reports of trespassing, open drug use and theft, city council in Timmins has agreed to hire a security guard to monitor a growing homeless encampment behind the city’s Living Space homeless shelter.

Meeting on Tuesday, councillors said they have received numerous complaints about aggressive criminal behaviour committed by a minority of people living in the encampments.

Ward 4 Coun. John Curly said he visited the site himself and was surprised to see how much it had grown.

“It’s not fair for those residents,” Curly said.

“They face a lot of issues during the night ... I can’t see us permitting the growth that’s taking place there.”

Wood stove inside a tent

He even spotted someone using a wood stove inside a tent – a potentially dangerous situation for not only the encampments, but for residents in the area should a fire break out.

“Something has to take place over there,” Curly said.

Ward 3 Coun. Bill Gvozdanovic said the long-term solution is to create a single site where encampments are permitted and clear all other sites in the city.

Until that happens, however, Gvozdanovic suggested adding a security guard to police the area from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. to see what sort of impact it would have -- and whether it would help residents, including those living in the encampment.

“These people who live in the tents, they are also residents,” he said.

But the people committing crimes – which he estimated to be between 30 and 40 per cent --- need to be “weeded out.”

“If you’re just here to cause trouble, we need to flex our muscles a bit,” Gvozdanovic said.

“Do we try a security guard in that area for a 30-day period, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.?”

Mayor Michelle Boileau said she has also heard from residents that problems at the encampment are getting worse.

“The situation for residents in the area has been deplorable,” Boileau said.

“Every resident deserves to live in safety, security and without fear.”

Homeless shelter always full

She said for July and August, Living Space was almost full or over capacity. While progress is being made for a one-site solution for encampments – with more information coming in a few weeks – she supported the idea of trying a security guard for a month to see if it helps.

Police Chief Sydney Lecky said having a dedicated security guard for the area is a better – and more affordable -- option than adding police.

But he was curious about whether the guard would just watch what was going on and call police -- or intervene if they saw something happening.

“What is their scope of duties?” he asked, adding that police have seen a significant increase in calls for service for that area.

Council approved the motion unanimously to add the security guard, with Gvozdanovic saying he would seek to extend it through the winter if it shows positive results after the first three weeks.

Council also agreed to clear garbage out of the site and to ask staff for information on finding a single site for encampments, and to work with social services agencies in coming up with the report.