City of Guelph taking measured approached to downtown encampment enforcement

Guelph enacted a new bylaw on Oct. 1 meant to address the growing encampment in the downtown core, which the city describes as both a compassionate and cautious approach.

The intent of the bylaw is to ensure public spaces are being used for their intended purpose and bans temporary structures or encampments from two specific locations.

“About 90 per cent of the areas within the city have now been deemed an acceptable place for people that are experiencing homelessness and need a shelter,” explained Mayor Cam Guthrie. “We’ve also not allowed [encampments] in our downtown core – St. George’s Square and in Market Square in front of city hall.”

Guthrie said the bylaw is about finding a balance between compassion for people who are unhoused and maintaining a welcoming downtown.

Despite the new bylaw, so far no action has been taken by the City of Guelph.

“Our first step was really to do a bit of a fact-finding mission, so we've been out identifying all of the locations of the encampments and looking to see if they are compliant with the bylaw,” explained Colleen Clack-Bush, Guelphs’s deputy CAO.

She said the city is working with the people living at the encampments, as well as outreach services, to find a voluntary solution.

They hope to have everyone moved out of St. George’s Square in the coming weeks.

Reaction from local businesses

For some nearby businesses, the bylaw is welcome news.

“I think one of the major challenges is the decrease in foot traffic, people are scared to come downtown, people are hesitant,” said Denise Mansur.

She the owner of Ms. Meri Mak, a clothing boutique on Quebec Street, about one block from the downtown encampment.

According to Mansur, the businesses on both sides of her store have closed within the last two weeks.

“All I really want is my business to succeed, I don't want anything bad to happen to anyone else, I just really want to be set up for success,” she added.

Mansur said the issues downtown have put her in a ‘no-win’ situation.

“I am hurting myself if I speak up and I'm hurting myself if I don't speak up,” she said. “If I speak up, then the activists and such treat me like I'm doing wrong or I'm not empathetic, and if I don't speak up, my business is kind of going to fail.”

Mansur hopes people in the community will have a greater understanding of the difficulties faced by downtown businesses like hers.