2,000 needles picked up at former encampment near Ottawa O-Train stations: councillor

Crews from the National Capital Commission and the City of Ottawa cleanup a former encampment near the Bayview and Pimisi O-Train stations. (Coun. Ariel Troster/Facebook)

Approximately 2,000 needles were collected during the cleanup of an abandoned encampment near two Ottawa light-rail transit stations.

In a Facebook post, Coun. Ariel Troster said City of Ottawa and National Capital Commission crews finished clearing garbage left in an area near the Bayview and Pimisi O-Train stations last Friday.

Troster said the garbage included “approximately nine tandem loads of material, over 26 propane and fuel tanks and close to 1,800 to 2,000 needles and other drug paraphernalia.”

“Yet another sign of crisis.”

A photo posted by Troster showed at least 11 staff members working on the property.

Troster says she and Coun. Jeff Leiper will work with city staff to replant vegetation in the area.

“While also securing the site so it remains safe for the whole community. The clean-up process was extremely hazardous and took dozens of people,” Troster said.

The National Capital Commission told CTV News Ottawa on Saturday it had been working with the city for the “overall area clean up.”

“Most of cleanup activities were on the city’s lands,” the NCC said.

CTV News Ottawa reached out to the city for comment on Saturday.

Troster says the City of Ottawa needs more “deeply affordable and supportive housing, especially for people who will not go to shelter for legitimate and understandable reasons. Housing is a human right.”

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Adam Beauchemin

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