The 10-day injunction against disbanding homeless encampments will stay in effect for a few more weeks, because the issue won’t get in front of the courts until early September.
In a tweet today, Wade Poziomka, the lawyer representing groups advocating for the encampment residents wrote: “This morning the Superior Court extended the injunction preventing the involuntary removal of individuals from homeless encampments until the motion can be heard in early-September, 2020. ” tweeted Hamilton human rights lawyer Wade Poziomka Friday morning.
Hamilton Harm Reduction Action League (Keeping Six), said it and other organizations were notified on July 28 that those living in the encampments outside the FirstOntario Centre and along Ferguson Avenue North had until the 31st to accept a shelter, hotel, housing or “be moved on.”
When the organization was unable to get written assurance no one would be removed against their will, it, along with the Hamilton Social Medicine Response Team (Hamsmart), Hamilton Community Legal Clinic and Ross & McBride LLP, filed the injunction. City staff and members of council have been getting increasing pressure from citizens to do something about the tent cities.
Just as long as they get out of residential areas. The crime is at an epidemic level. And the police have a hands off order. They can’t do anything about the open air drug use and sales, prostitution, violence & intimidation. Ferguson Ave N is a law free zone, it seems like anything goes here.