Tent encampment fires in Sudbury, Ont., a concern for firefighters
1 person sent to hospital after a tent encampment fire
Firefighters in Greater Sudbury, Ont., responded to two fires over the weekend at small tent encampments in wooded areas.
Jesse Oshell, the city's deputy fire chief, said one person was sent to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
One fire was near Pearl Street in the city's downtown and the second was in a wooded area near the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex in Sudbury's south end.
In both cases, people started the fires to stay warm, as temperatures started to drop after an unseasonably warm fall.
"We're concerned that these fires that are being set for warmth by individuals who may be potentially residing in these areas could continue and will occur more frequently," Oshell said.
He said the city's fire services have worked closely with community partners to help prevent fires in tent encampments.
"It's a sensitive situation and we all recognize that there's assistance that needs to be provided," Oshell said.
"Sometimes enforcement is not the best measure for education or getting success. And so we're very, very cautious around what can be enforced and what should be enforced."
All belongings lost
Evie Ali, executive director of the Go-Give Project, a non-profit organization that provides harm reduction services in Sudbury, said one person lost all of his belongings from one of the fires over the weekend.
"It has just been an incredibly difficult process for him," Ali said.
"There are supports that will help him kind of gather clothes and things like that, but it doesn't really replace the items of sentimental value and other items he may have lost."
Ali said tent encampments will continue to be a reality until the housing crisis in the province can be addressed.
"We definitely are expecting, again, a consistent number of people to be outside," she said.
Last winter, the City of Greater Sudbury operated a warming station 24 hours a day, due to the pandemic.
But this winter, the city will return to its Extreme Cold Weather Alert Program. From Nov. 1 to March 31, the city will work with social service partners to increase drop-in centre hours and outreach services when outside temperatures drop below –15 C.
Ali said organizations like hers are reaching out to people in tent encampments and bringing them items to keep warm, such as blankets and sleeping bags.
Fewer people experiencing homelessness
Raymond Landry, a co-ordinator with the city's Homelessness Network, said between 40 and 50 people are living in tent encampments scattered across the city limits.
Landry said 171 people are registered on the city's voluntary by-name list, which helps connect vulnerable people to social service providers.
Sudbury also has 75 shelter beds available on any given night. When temperatures drop below –15 C, it allows the Samaritan Centre to open 10 to 15 more warming centres, Landry said.
While the need for affordable housing and mental health services remains high, Landry said there are around half as many people experiencing homelessness in Sudbury now, compared to early 2020.
"Although the number is still great, and there's still absolutely not enough housing for all of them, and certainly not enough affordable housing for all of them, our efforts are to prioritize those that have the most need and to help those persons find housing as soon as possible," he said.
Landry added that for many people with mental health challenges, it got worse during the pandemic, when some services closed.
"Research shows, the numbers show, that their mental health issues will probably intensify and get worse while they're waiting to be accepted into services."
With files from Kate Rutherford