The City of Winnipeg says the number of known homeless encampments has fallen since it began enforcing its restrictions on where people can stay.
A report presented to the community services committee on July 9 shows outreach workers with Main Street Project identified 62 encampments across Winnipeg as of May 30. That’s down from last fall, when the city estimated there were as many as 100 encampments, with up to 700 people.
In the latest report, outreach workers identified 128 people living in those encampments, with Point Douglas accounting for the largest share — 19 encampments and 63 residents.
The city says 108 encampments were either cleared or abandoned between November and May. City staff also conducted 45 inspections during that period, bringing the total number of inspections under the protocol to 130.
Officials cautioned the numbers do not capture the full extent of homelessness in the city.
Chris Brens, the city’s community development manager, said the 128-person figure only includes people outreach workers were able to meet with at encampment sites.
Main Street Project “estimates there could be up to an additional 60 people across all encampments,” Brens told the committee.
He added outreach workers are seeing more people living in places that are not considered encampments.
“They’re also seeing an increase in the number of people who are not living in encampments, but are unsheltered, living in other places in the city — doorways, heating vents, spaces that aren’t an encampment. And they’re seeing a sharp increase in those areas.”
City staff say it is still too early to determine how the protocol is affecting where people end up after encampments are dismantled.
Greg MacPherson, the city’s senior co-ordinator of community development, said warmer weather is also influencing people’s decisions about whether to stay in shelters or outdoors.
“We’re not certain yet where they’re ending up, and it will take a little bit of time for us to have a better sense of the reality,” he said.
Advocates for people experiencing homelessness argue the city’s approach is making conditions worse.
Speaking as a delegate at the meeting, Social Planning Council of Winnipeg executive director Kate Kehler said opponents warned council when it approved the protocol that clearing encampments would push people into more dangerous situations.
“What is happening on Portage [Avenue] today?” Kehler said. “People huddled into whatever shade they can find, or even worse, unconscious on burning sidewalks in the sun, alone, because they’ve been scattered.”
City officials told the committee they expect to provide more information in their next report on how many people have left encampments and where they have gone.