Fire highlights risk of winter encampments in Ottawa

The City of Ottawa approximates there are around 275 individuals living unsheltered in camping tents and makeshift houses, typically on federal land outside local jurisdiction.

Released Jan 03, 2024 – Last upgraded 7 hours ago – 2 minute read

Ottawa firemens put out a fire at a homeless camp on Tremblay Road on Wednesday. Nobody was harmed. Image by Tony Caldwell /Postmedia

There were no injuries from a fire at a homeless encampment in Ottawa on Wednesday, however the blaze once again highlighted the threat for those living rough with winter approaching.

Firemens rapidly snuffed out the fire at the encampment near the LRT tracks and Tremblay Road, a website the fire service has actually been often contacted us to in current weeks.

Short article material

The city approximates there are roughly 275 individuals living unsheltered in camping tents and makeshift houses in Ottawa, frequently on federal land outside local jurisdiction. Alta Vista Coun. Marty Carr believes that number is simply a portion of the genuine overall of individuals living rough in the nationwide capital.

THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Subscribe now to check out the current news in your city and throughout Canada.

Unique short articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food evaluations and occasion listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office.
Unrestricted online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news websites with one account.
Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic reproduction of the print edition to see on any gadget, share and talk about.
Daily puzzles, consisting of the New York Times Crossword.
Assistance regional journalism.

Subscribe now to check out the current news in your city and throughout Canada.

Special short articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food evaluations and occasion listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office.
Endless online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news websites with one account.
Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic reproduction of the print edition to see on any gadget, share and discuss.
Daily puzzles, consisting of the New York Times Crossword.
Assistance regional journalism.

Develop an account or check in to continue with your reading experience.

Gain access to short articles from throughout Canada with one account.
Share your ideas and sign up with the discussion in the remarks.
Delight in extra short articles each month.
Get e-mail updates from your preferred authors.

Post material

Wednesday’s fire must be a wakeup call, she stated.

“The problem is swelling and we need to make certain these neighborhoods are safe and the surrounding neighborhoods are safe,” stated Carr, who rests on the city’s emergency situation shelter job force. “It’s not even actually cold here yet.”

In Calgary in December, 3 individuals passed away in a fire in a shed outside a home enhancement shop where they had actually been safeguarding. 2 people were eliminated and another was seriously hurt in a fire at an encampment in Edmonton.

Carr thinks Ottawa will quickly need to think about short-term shelters such as tent-like sprung structures or the modular real estate systems currently utilized in Gatineau, Peterborough and Kitchener-Waterloo.

“I believe we actually require to begin taking a look at this. We’re merely not constructing enough systems on time,” Carr stated.

The city has 2,315 “families”– frequently single candidates– on a waitlist for helpful real estate, she stated, while there are simply 177 encouraging real estate systems under building and construction.

On any provided night Ottawa can summon in between 1,800 and 2,000 shelter beds through social-service firms such as the Shepherds of Good Hope and the Salvation Army and the city’s own beds in neighborhood centres and numerous other shelters.

Short article material

“We as a city constantly state we’ve got a location for individuals to sleep, however there’s constantly going to be individuals who select to oversleep encampments due to the fact that they’re scared of things being taken or the shelters aren’t open 24 hours a day,” Carr stated. “So I believe we truly require to take a look at those mid-term options while we wait on longer-term real estate to appear.”

Real estate supporters such as the Alliance to End Homelessness oppose such stop-gap steps, calling them a Band-Aid service to an issue in requirement of an irreversible repair.

“Long term we desire more long-term real estate, which’s what our partners and supporters desire. I concur that,” Carr stated. “But in the meantime we need to make the encampments safe.”