In the context of the fight against homelessness, year after year, and given what we are experiencing and the deteriorating situation, we have to keep an open mind and try not to manage spaces rather than people. We shouldn't start prioritizing the right to encampments over the right to housing, which should be broader and include these individuals.
Encampments exist. They are a reality. No one normally chooses to live in an encampment. It's usually supposed to be temporary, but it can sometimes drag on. However, these folks need to be reintegrated into society as soon as possible, and there are ways to help them. As the witnesses online were saying, some of these folks know this, but they're not always quite ready to be reintegrated into society at the exact time we reach them. However, the support system needs to be in place.
As for the folks living in encampments, there are some—and I emphasize the word “some”—who have substance abuse or mental health issues. When someone decides to seek help for an addiction, we have to respond right away. If we wait two or three weeks, the situation might deteriorate. The individual might continue to have contact with others and their substance use is likely to continue. When the person is ready for help, we need to be there to support them with a range of services available.
That's what matters. It's about having that range of services in place and being ready not only to support people when they want to get off the street, but also to prevent them from becoming homeless in the first place.