Halifax taking action against non-designated tent encampment

The sign on the lawn of the old public library on Spring Garden Road in Halifax says no camping, but seven tents have been set up.

 Andrew Goodsell was the first to put up his tent on March 28.

“I am a peaceful protester and I know what my human rights are and as long as I’m sticking with my peaceful protest, there’s really nothing that they can do,” says Goodsell.

A no camping sign at the old public library in Halifax. (Source: Jonathan MacInnis/CTV News Atlantic)

The city put eviction notices on the tents earlier this week, giving those staying there until July 15 to move on.

“Ultimately, if somebody refuses to leave we would ask Halifax Regional Police to give us some assistance in their relocation effort,” says Halifax’s housing and homelessness director Max Chauvin.

The same will be true for anyone who sets up in Grand Parade outside City Hall. The fences there came down Wednesday after a lengthy remediation process that included laying new sod.

Grand Parade in Halifax is pictured. (Source: Jonathan MacInnis/CTV News Atlantic)

“Grand Parade is a prohibited location so people cannot set up a tent there. If they do, they’ll receive a visit from a compliance officer who will provide them a notice that says they can’t stay there,” Chauvin says.

The cleanup of Victoria Park is underway, too. New dirt and grass is going in but it’s unclear when the park will open to the public.

Around the corner on University Avenue, 29 tents occupy an area designated by the city to allow six.

“Currently there are more people there because there’s nowhere else for them to go right now,” says Chauvin. “We continue to try and provide support to the people who are there. We continue to work with the province on looking for options for people to shelter and to move inside so they can get access to washrooms and showers and laundry services and food.”

The province promised Pallet shelters – which cost $7.5 million for 200 units – for months and they were expected to be ready last December, but only 19 are in place in Halifax at Beacon House in Lower Sackville.

“Ten per cent of everything that they promised last year has shown up, the other 90 per cent hasn’t,” says Goodsell. 

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