‘We’re going to freeze’: Charlottetown Police remove propane tanks, heat sources from event grounds encampment

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Whereas the Metropolis of Charlottetown and the province travel on a beforehand introduced modular housing initiative, these battling homelessness have misplaced their means to prepare dinner and keep heat.

On Oct. 12, simply earlier than 1:30 p.m., Charlottetown police, fireplace providers and metropolis employees walked into town’s greatest homeless encampment and eliminated a group of propane tanks, electrical extension cables, and warmth sources after responding to a grievance of fireplace hazard considerations.

“We had a name that there was a fireplace occurring,’’ mentioned Charlottetown deputy police chief Jennifer McCarron. “The fireplace division was referred to as. There have been propane tanks, which is a security situation and a visual hazard. We eliminated gadgets that might trigger hurt to anybody.’’

On the encampment, members of Charlottetown Mutual Help, PEERS Alliance and volunteers have been on scene to make sure nobody was being faraway from the grounds and to attempt to get solutions as to why the gadgets have been being confiscated with none sort of substitute plan.

“To listen to now they’re taking away their means to prepare dinner and survive, and never change that with something, is vastly problematic,” mentioned Ainsley Kendrick of Charlottetown Mutual Help.

“That appears to be the pattern of what’s been occurring right here is, let’s simply take away what these people have and never change it with something. How are people staying on this encampment imagined to survive? As a substitute of making options, all (officers) are doing is inflicting extra hurt.”

Police and fireplace Marshall got here to the encampment and eliminated all of their propane tanks and extension cords because of “security considerations” with out itemizing what they took. How are the residents of the encampment imagined to prepare dinner or keep heat? that is disgusting

— kal (@kaaalllllllll) October 12, 2022

Unsafe storage

Kendrick mentioned when she requested concerning the state of affairs, a metropolis fireplace inspector instructed her the propane tanks have been being taken as a result of they weren’t being saved correctly, noting some have been mendacity sideways on the bottom.

She additionally mentioned the inspector and police have been centered on an influence field on the grounds, which had been damaged into and was getting used to provide a few of these residing there with energy for warmth and cooking. She mentioned police instructed her it was unlawful with out permission from the occasion floor’s proprietor.

One volunteer, who didn’t determine himself, mentioned initially somebody from town mentioned residents may use the ability and preserve propane on the grounds. Nevertheless, as soon as police confirmed up, the volunteer mentioned the person from town instructed him he should have misunderstood.

He mentioned having police tear by means of the encampment residents’ private belongings and take issues with out offering any sort of answer isn’t offering them with the assistance they want.

“This is a humiliation for town, the province, and it is now left as much as the folks like Charlottetown Mutual Help which can be doing issues,” mentioned the volunteer. “Not the police or authorities. If we look ahead to the federal government, it is by no means going to get finished.

“These individuals are freezing. I wouldn’t need my daughter on the market.”

For Gwen Cannon, one of many folks staying on the encampment, freezing is now an actual fear.

“With out warmth or electrical energy, which we didn’t assume was a giant deal, we’re going to freeze. I feel anyone goes to should die earlier than they take a superb take a look at this,” she mentioned.

“(A resident) made a wooden range that he made himself. It appeared fairly protected and he is aware of what he’s doing, however they drug that out of there. So now we now have no warmth.”

Discrimination

Cannon mentioned when police arrived on the grounds on Oct. 12, they dug by means of peoples’ private belongings and roughed up a couple of of the campsites. She mentioned that conduct is frequent from police, relying on what they’re there for.

She mentioned usually she and others are singled out due to their residing state of affairs, which makes her really feel discriminated towards.

“It makes you are feeling like trash,” she mentioned.

“Even at Wants, we have been there shopping for stuff, and so they have been chasing us away for loitering as quickly as we walked off the steps,” she added, noting a gaggle of encampment residents have been assembly members of Charlottetown Mutual Help to choose up scorching meals after they have been requested to go away.

“They have already got plenty of mistrust in whether or not or not it is going to occur. We’ve seen that (be supported) with the choice final night time.”

– Kali Ross

Among the many encampment, hopes will not be excessive that town and province will supply them the assist they want.

Kali Ross, one other member of Charlottetown Mutual Help, mentioned many aren’t assured the brand new modular house shelter for Park Road will ever open.

“They have already got plenty of mistrust in whether or not or not it is going to occur. We’ve seen that (be supported) with the choice final night time,” she mentioned, refering to a council choice to defer a allow for the Park Road web site for one more two weeks.

Getting different essential assist from the province and metropolis is nearly unimaginable, mentioned Cannon. These residing on the grounds have requested town repeatedly for trash pickup providers and upkeep for the transportable bathrooms on web site, however to no avail, she mentioned.

“These outhouses haven’t been cleaned since we obtained right here. After the hurricane, every little thing sort of flew round, as a result of they haven’t been (sustaining) them,” she mentioned.

Now, with no energy, no warmth and no option to prepare dinner meals, the message from town to these on the encampment is obvious to them, Cannon mentioned: “They need us gone.”

She added, “(We really feel) Like rubbish, like nothing, like they only need us to go away, be it by freezing to demise or no matter.”

With information from Dave Stewart.

Cody McEachern is a reporter with the SaltWire Community in Prince Edward Island. He may be reached by electronic mail at c[email protected] and adopted on Twitter @CodyInHiFi.