FAQs

The Town is working in partnership with other local service agencies to ensure we take a consistent approach in responding to unhoused individuals. However, the Town can only control the response of its own departments and service areas. Town staff will:

• Assist with removal of discarded needles, where a specific location of concern has been reported;
• Assist in connecting encampment residents with social services;
• Assess any reported fires to ensure they are being managed safely and used only for heating and cooking purposes, to limit overall fire risk;
• Ensure encampments on public property are promptly cleaned up when they are known to have been abandoned;
• Communicate other applicable by-law requirements to encampment residents;
• Report any observed illegal activities to the OPP and request assistance with enforcement where there is an imminent risk to health or safety.  

Currently, when a concern about an encampment is responded to the Town, the following steps are taken:

• Town staff will contact staff at partner service agencies so they can attempt to connect with the individuals in the encampment and offer services to them.
• Town staff will attend to visually inspect the site for litter, encroachment onto municipal structures, safety risks, and other potential by-law issues (for example, off-lease dogs). If required, Town staff may direct that identified issues must be addressed for the tent to be permitted to stay.
• If required, Fire Department staff may attend to address any fire safety violations and provide education around fire safety.

Where there is evidence of criminal activity, the OPP may take enforcement action.

Where there is an imminent risk to health or safety due to things like threats or acts of violence, the Town can issue a notice of trespass and require the individual to vacate the park or public space.

Canadian case law has found that unhoused persons have a charter right to shelter themselves on public lands when there are no other shelter options accessible to them. As there is a shortage of emergency and transitional housing within Greater Napanee, the Town cannot impose a blanket ban on all camping on all public lands by unhoused individuals. The Town is currently seeking public feedback on a Parks & Public Spaces By-law that would define certain areas where encampments will not be permitted due to incompatibility with existing uses such as playgrounds.

You can complete an E11 Service Request form through the Town’s website. Town staff will review the information provided and conduct an on-site review of the encampment as described above.

To report a concern about illegal activity where there is not an immediate safety risk, you can call the non-emergency OPP reporting line at 1-888-310-1122.

If there is an immediate safety risk, please call 911.

Private property owners can request police assistance in having the Trespass to Property Act enforced on their property. There is no charter-based right for unhoused individuals to shelter on private property without the consent of that property owner.

The Town does not perform encampment removal or clean up work on private property.