A proposal by Halifax’s newly elected mayor, Andy Fillmore, to abolish a list of nine pre-approved tent encampment sites, was defeated in a close council vote. Some members of the council deemed the motion as hasty and unnecessary.

The motion was narrowly defeated by a vote of 8-7 after a fiery discussion among council members on Tuesday. Mayor Fillmore’s proposal sought to eliminate the nine sites that had been greenlit in July and suggested that future site designations should be determined by the Regional Council. As it currently stands, the Chief Administrative Officer holds the power to open any of the pre-approved sites.

The list includes Halifax Common, Point Pleasant Park, and Geary Street Green Space. The choice of some of these locations had previously raised concerns for their suitability, with Premier Tim Houston of Nova Scotia expressing his shock upon learning of the list.

However, council members voiced their apprehension about the potential impact of passing Fillmore’s motion on the homeless population currently residing at these sites. Councilor Shawn Cleary described the motion as “the apex of meaningless,” implying that its approval wouldn’t change the current situation.

Mayor Fillmore, on the other hand, maintained that tents are not a long-term solution and that the city needs to focus on providing shelter spaces rather than encampments. He highlighted that there are vacancies across the system and that the city is failing in its duty if it continues to provide subpar alternatives.

Among those who voted against the motion was Councilor Sam Austin, who stated that the proposal didn’t make sense at this stage. He pointed out that there are not enough shelters to accommodate all the people living outdoors and that the city must grapple with this reality.

It is essential to note that several tent encampment sites have been decommissioned by the municipality due to safety reasons in the past. As of June, the list of people experiencing homelessness in Halifax had reached 1,316 individuals.

During his election campaign, Fillmore pledged to eliminate the designated encampment sites. Despite the defeat of his motion, he remains optimistic, stating that the city is making progress in providing affordable housing. He suggested that the worst of the housing crisis is behind Halifax and that things will improve. However, Councilor Austin expressed skepticism about the city’s readiness to address the issue.