Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown says one of the biggest challenges in tackling homelessness is that some encampment residents refuse shelter because drug use is prohibited in city-run facilities.
Speaking at a city committee meeting on Wednesday (Sept. 17), Brown said that shelter space is always offered when encampments are cleared, but the “no drug use” policy is often a barrier.
“We offer shelter to everyone when an encampment is removed,” Brown said. “We do not remove the encampment without offering shelter first. But there is one caveat with our shelter — there is no drug use permitted.”
The discussion was sparked by a presentation from Tanner Bergsma of Unity Beyond Borders, who urged council to invest more in permanent housing. Bergsma pointed out that there are currently 23 encampments across Brampton and argued that simply clearing them and placing people in temporary shelters does little to solve the underlying problem.
“Temporary shelters are necessary, but they are not enough,” Bergsma said. “People need not just another night in a motel but a permanent roof over their heads and support to stay there.”
Brown acknowledged the city’s ongoing struggle with encampments, noting that drug use is often at the root of why some individuals decline help.
“We find that people who turn away the offer of shelter are those who are in a cycle of addiction where they refuse to help themselves,” Brown said. He added that council has pushed for “compassionate intervention” to address the opioid and fentanyl crises that have led to repeated overdoses and deaths.
The mayor shared an example of one unhoused individual arrested 51 times for drug-related charges, saying that while addiction shouldn’t be criminalized, illegal drug use in public spaces is a safety issue and won’t be tolerated in shelters.
Brown’s comments come as the city moves forward with initiatives to encourage the development of affordable rental housing, including a program launched last week that reduces fees for builders who commit to constructing long-term rental units instead of condominiums for sale.