Lee Griffi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The ongoing issue of current and abandoned homelessness encampments continues to plague the city and as a result, taxpayers are on the hook for more money.
Council voted recently to put an additional $100,000 aside for cleanup costs. The money is on top of the 2024 budget-approved figure of the same amount which has dried up. A staff report given to council paints a grim picture of the homelessness problem in the city, where there are 44 known encampments either active or abandoned.
An encampment site off Clarke Street was located in a portion of Brick Pond Wetlands and could only be accessed by crossing the CN tracks. A long list of health and safety concerns meant the residents had to relocate and a clean-up had to be completed at a cost of over $101,000.
Councillor Kate Leatherbarrow explained she had mixed feelings about the report and encampments are something she is concerned about.
“It’s looking a lot worse, not a lot better in Woodstock and other municipalities. When I saw the suggestion was to pull from a different reserve, I felt it was important it was taken from the Mayor’s Task Force.”
She added the city has a long road ahead as it continues to deal with homelessness and the issues that come with it.
“Whether it is at future meetings or with future budgets, I do hope we can consider an in-house encampment response to do the very best mitigation we possibly can and give staff tools to do so.”
The city is sending information regarding the expenses to several provincially elected officials including Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman.
“I am personally in the business of coffee but if I was using that same method I would send an invoice to the provincial government. Anything we do going forward related to this needs to be accounted for and sent to the powers that be.”
Leatherbarrow added she would also like to see the county ante up more money, perhaps through Safe and Well Oxford.
“Woodstock taxpayers can not continuously take this on by themselves,” she added.
In the 2024 operating budget, council approved $100,000 for the cleaning of encampments. A tender was issued and five qualified bids were received. The contract was awarded to First Response Environmental.
Councillor Deb Tait explained she isn’t sure what provincial funding, if any, would be available to help with clean-ups. She said the city needs to look inward for a solution.
“To me (encampments) have gotten out of hand way too fast and have gotten to the point where the cost is absolutely out of control. The one I am dealing with has been going on since last year. In my mind that is unacceptable and I think the city shoulders some of the blame.”
She added Woodstock needs to be more proactive with increased bylaw enforcement or regulations to help taxpayers who are ultimately footing the bill.
“I talked to a couple of municipalities and they do not allow camping on any city property. I think there needs to be some changes. We are actually getting known in other communities about how bad we are and that is not a name I want for Woodstock.”
The clean-up efforts done to date represent a small fraction of the encampments in the city. As of the time of the report there were 23 active sites on city, Upper Thames Conservation Authority and county property. 12 of those are a tent or structure occupied by one person or couple. The remaining 11 have more than one tent or structure and are considered large with significant debris requiring more than a day for clean-up if needed. There are also eight abandoned sites on those properties and a whopping 13 located on private property. Landowners would be on the hook for paying for the removal of garbage on their properties.
City appeals to CN to repair pedestrian bridge
City Council passed a motion authorizing Mayor Acchione to submit a letter on behalf of the city urging CN Rail to take immediate action to replace the Finkle Street Pedestrian Bridge crossing.
Councillor Connie Lauder threw her full support behind the action saying the massive company needs to deliver for residents.
“We have waited too many years with promises from CN that never seem to materialize. It was well-used by people from the north side of town if they wanted to walk down to Southside Park. A lot of people have been asking when it will be fixed. Many blame the city but it isn’t our fault.”
The bridge crossing the railway track at Finkle Street has been in place since the late 1800s. In 1905 an agreement was struck between the city and the Grand Trunk Railway Company of Canada and the bridge was designated for pedestrian traffic only. It was rehabilitated in 1972 and again in 1995. Inspections conducted in 2013 and 2015 rated the condition of the bridge as poor and in 2016 the city hired AECOM to complete a report and offer options. The bridge was closed butreopened in 2017 before being closed again in 2021 due to further deterioration.
Councillor Bernia Martin questioned whether the city needed more ammunition to accompany a letter. She said the mayor needs to be more prepared.
“I would think CN is going to want to see us demonstrate the need. I am curious as to what data you have at your disposal to justify the request for them to spend what I assume will be a significant amount of money. How do you envision going after this request to spend millions of dollars? Is there a way we can gather anecdotal data for you to utilize in a letter?”
Acchione explained he has been advocating for a bridge replacement since he first took office and he is in regular contact with the rail giant.
“Usually, they are calling us for something and we complain about a bridge being needed or of course railway crossings to be fixed. This has been an ongoing battle so we thought we would be a little more efficient with a letter, especially with them coming forward asking for our support during Rail Safety Week.”
He added he didn’t have anything in front of him but was confident city staff would put something together to share and when it is ready it will be forwarded to all members of council.
Since 2021, plans for the replacement have faced multiple delays. In the spring of 2023, staff was informed that a replacement bridge would be completed by the end of 2023 but a year later CN said the project was on hold. Staff followed up with CN this spring and but were told the project was put on hold.
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