A Hamilton couple says they were forced to camouflage their tent deep in the escarpment forest after being ordered to vacate their long-standing encampment along the city’s rail trail. Margaret de Jong and Calvin Graham, unhoused since fall 2023, say they moved after receiving a city notice last week, but have nowhere else to go.
The order affected multiple residents along the trail between Wentworth and Kenilworth avenues. De Jong, separated from her children who are now in foster care, says daily calls to women’s shelters have yielded no results. The city’s new outdoor shelter for couples is also at capacity.
On May 6, Hamilton police and bylaw officers issued 24-hour eviction notices and cleared five sites by Friday. Officers removed about 24 truckloads of material, though police say no force or arrests were used. The city has yet to clarify how many people were affected or the current shelter capacity.
The rail trail is owned by Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), which also dispatched officers to issue trespassing tickets. At least one $650 fine was confirmed. Advocates and residents, including Jeanguy Parent of Oneida Nation, spoke out at a Sunday news conference organized by the Hamilton Encampment Support Network.
Parent, who doesn’t qualify for the outdoor shelter, urged the city to grant more time to find alternatives. “We shouldn’t have to live in fear in our own city,” he said.
Advocate Gessie Stearns criticized the city for what she called inhumane treatment and questioned the $5.1 million overspend on a temporary shelter rather than investing in long-term housing.
Source: Swifteradio.com
