KITCHENER -- Ontario enacted its four-week stay-at-home order on Thursday, calling on all Ontarians to stay home unless leaving for an essential purpose.

There are dozens of items on the list that are considered essential reasons to leave your home, but what about residents who don't have a home at all?

During a media briefing on Thursday morning, police Chief Bryan Larkin discussed the much-asked question about enforcement. He stressed that enforcement will be officers' last resort and that it won't be on the table at all for those experiencing homelessness.

"I also want to mention that it's important to recognize that those that do not have and do not have the ability to have an address or a roof over their head are exempt from all of these issues," he said during the virtual meeting.

"We have to recognize, you know, that when we enact legislation we must provide policing services that are empathetic, caring and supportive."

Joe Couto is the director of government relations and communications for the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police. He echoed the same sentiment on Thursday.

"We don't want people who are marginalized already to be further impacted by these measures," he said, noting that those experiencing homelessness are "as important as any other person in the province."

He said the association will continue educating and empowering police officers to become part of the solution.

In Montreal, where there is an 8 p.m. curfew in effect, homeless shelters are struggling to house everyone who needs it at night. Police officers in that city have also been instructed not to ticket those who are homeless.