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Hamilton Spectator

People on the move as encampment clearing-operation hits Hamilton's rail trail

People living along Hamilton's rail trail scrambled to pack up their belongings Friday as police and city crews arrived to clear out camps nestled in the escarpment woods. Some said they'd planned to head east or to higher ground in the sloping terrain as officers urged them along after the city issued trespass notices earlier this week. A long stretch of the rail trail east of Wentworth stairs was closed to the public as parks staff hauled materials from vacated sites to trucks for disposal. Kristen Baker took down her tent and bundled up items as she prepared to move with her three dogs to another spot where she said officials wouldn't find her. The 50-year-old vowed not to part with Chief, Ellie and Cheyenne in order to stay in a shelter — where dogs aren't allowed. 'That's my emotional support,' said Baker, who relies on disability support payments to get by. 'I have a lot of mental issues.' The escarpment trail operation follows similar efforts this spring to clear tents from city parks . Starting March 6, the city resumed enforcement of Hamilton's parks bylaw, which bars tents in public spaces. As of April 30, a total of 163 encampments had been cleared, the city noted in its latest running tally. Hamilton's 2023 encampment protocol had allowed people to pitch tents in parks and other public spaces, subject to certain rules. But council has scrapped the policy amid mounting public complaints. The city has also boosted indoor shelter capacity by 192 beds, and opened another 80 spaces in mini-cabins with on-site staff and an array of services on land off Barton Street West. That project reached capacity last month. Hamilton's most recent 'point-in-time' count found 1,216 people were homeless in November 2024. A subset of those, 280, were found to be living outside. More recent data pegs the overall homeless population at roughly 1,600, with the unsheltered component fluctuating from season to season. Eliminating encampments from green spaces 'remains a top priority as we balance the needs and well-being of people living outdoors with the community's ability to enjoy public spaces safely,' the city said in an emailed statement Friday. The escarpment rail trail from the Wentworth to Kenilworth stairs in the east end will be closed Saturday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. as crews continue their work. As people vacate camps, debris left in parks, as well as a slew of items in the escarpment woods, has sparked calls for the city to clean up the mess. Just west of Wentworth, Robert Walker said he and his wife, Denise, kept their small camp neat and tidy. But within a few days of arriving, they received trespass notices. Walker said he and his wife, both 53 and on Ontario Works, want to stay together and not apart in gender-segregated shelters as they navigate their homelessness. 'I'm hoping to find somewhere they're not going to come bother us,' said Walker, their tent dismantled and belongings packed up on the ground. Both have also received $65 tickets from police working for the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Railway, whose trains traverse the city just north of the trail. 'That's been put kind of on the back-burner for now,' said a weary Walker, noting he was perplexed by the tickets, given they'd camped on a ridge separated from the tracks by the trail. Baker was likewise bewildered by the CPKC ticket she'd received, noting the location of her camp on the same side but farther east. 'I can't even see the tracks.' An officer initially handed her a ticket indicating a $615 fine — 'I was a little annoyed' — but then returned with a lower penalty of $65. In an emailed statement, a CPKC spokesperson said tickets 'were issued to multiple individuals for trespassing,' but didn't say how many or explain the reach of the railway's property. 'Fines can vary depending on the offences and violations. Trespassing on railway property is both dangerous and illegal.' Hamilton police and the city's bylaw division noted they haven't issued fines to people along the trail. The city communicates with the railway to determine enforcement jurisdiction based on camp locations, noted Dan Smith, acting director of licensing and bylaw services. The municipality issues trespass notices, but not fines, for encampments, given people don't have addresses, might not have identification or means to pay, Smith noted. Rather, the city aims for compliance after notices are issued and followup by police, who have more authority to remove people, he said. Like Walker and Baker, others living along the trail told The Spectator they'd avoided shelters because they didn't want to leave their partners or pets. Some also said that, while not allowed in shelters, drug use was still common and triggering for those trying to keep their addiction at bay. In recent years, Hamilton's shelter system has also struggled with capacity, although city officials say beds open up with daily turnover. Meanwhile, out-of-reach rent, evictions, relationship breakups and job loss were among the scenarios that sparked their homelessness, the trail residents said. One of them, Jean Parent , has set up camp with others at different spots along the trail for months on end. He and his friend have moved again after recently receiving notices. Parent, who awaits affordable housing, says the city should designate a spot where people can live in tents, rather than spending on encampment enforcement. 'You just have to have the land. People have the tents, they have the resources — they would gladly come.' Meanwhile, city councillors agree enforcement that chases people from one outdoor spot to another is problematic. Many have legitimate reasons for not staying in shelters, while spaces at the Barton mini-cabins site — which accommodates couples and pets — are limited, Coun. Cameron Kroetsch said. 'Where are people meant to go? We don't have housing for them. We don't have shelter for them,' Kroetsch said. If enforcement is leading to 'hopscotching' from camp to camp, the city needs to address it, Coun. Brad Clark said. 'I don't think it's fair to have people living in the woods and basically hiding in the woods.' The answer is more affordable and supportive housing, the responsibility of all three levels of government, Clark said.