Encampments, and The Hidden Dangers That Are Right Under Your Nose.

Homeless Encampments, and the hidden dangers that are right before your very eyes.

Along with the opiate crisis, and housing being either non-existent or un-affordable for a vast majority of Canadians, people in regular cookie cutter neighborhoods are finding themselves with these toxic neighbors. And before I go any further, are there a few people in these encampments down on their luck? For sure. Just like anything in life. Though this number is few and far between because as stated before those people are likely with family and friends because they don’t pose a risk of stolen property or other various situations that accompany people with a history of drug abuse. That’s just facts.

Let’s start off with the hidden danger of Pedophiles, sexual predators and violent criminals hide among encampments. Want proof? Oh I have receipts. This is regarding a particular incident that was shared online via a video. An individual in the Sackville, Nova Scotia encampment had been taunted by another. He grabbed a bat then started to beat the person. The person was taunting the bat swinging person, calling them a child rapist or something along those lines. Well low and behold, they were charged with child luring. This was an individual who was hiding among them. Another individual is this man. He actually lived in the encampment in his trailer. While the non-profit who controlled the encampment tries to deny this man being involved there, and claimed he was praying on the individuals, that’s false. A concerned parent whose teen had run away to said encampment for the lack of structure specifically told the non profit people that he was in fact a drug dealer. He was one of them and seen the opportunity with the communities generosity and took it. Let’s also keep in mind, this encampment in particular was less than 500m to an elementary school. There were also 2 others rumored to be living there however due to unable to confirm one, and the legality of another due to privacy and ongoing court case, I won’t share those.

Another is the environments that leaches into the communities. Many of the people who live here are addicts. That’s just a fact that homelessness and addiction go hand in hand. Sackville in particular as well as across the province and country are finding more and more needles around. Whether capped or Uncapped, half filled with junk that an addict left due to being spooked, or even just the spoons and filters to properly prepare the drug of choice. These are communities who 10 years ago, 15 years ago, would never see a needle out in public because the addicts using had more respect for where they lived. With programs giving away 10 needles per care package and nearly any pharmacy you choose there is no surprise as to why needles are suddenly popping up. Especially when there is next to no incentive to even bring back dirty needles. Just in the fall of 2024 was a little girl poked by a needle after falling on it while playing in Sackville. And another more recently in Halifax. And while no, there is no distinction between those from the encampments or homeless its still a major concern. Something that media and elected officials tried to tweek to their narrative and make it sound like the little girl was searching it out. Which is so utterly wrong.

Let’s not forget the local businesses who are also suffering however many aren’t allowed to speak publicly due to their particular policies. And not wanting to ruffle too many feathers. See my blog here where I talk about the demeaning and toxic attitudes of advocates how they treat anyone who disagrees with their short sighted thinking. Anywhere from increased stealing among the individuals. To local Tim Hortons who house them to use the WiFi while leaving behind dirt and garbage for the employees to clean. Even reports from businesses beside encampments that people have been crapping beside the entries (which magically stopped after the encampment closed) and the pan handling and harassing of customers entering businesses by people begging for change or thoughtfully opening the door in hopes to exchanged a few dollars for their “kind gesture”. It has become so excessive families will drive a further distance to go to the same type of store to not deal with these individuals. That’s aside from the fact some are intoxicated and just overall unpleasant to deal with. People also have reported other sleeping inside ATM locations which while I understand why this happens it certainly is a very uncomfortable situation for a person who may need money from the machines when a stranger is only a few feet away. Especially when you don’t know how desperate a person is in terms of wanting to rob someone.

This is completely ignoring the fact that these areas become bio-hazard zones. When areas are removed they need to be cleaned with either bulk dozens like the Sackville encampment or people fully fitter with Biohazard clothing to prevent themselves from being injured. This photo is from one of those housing advocates Matt Grant who was part of a team collecting funds for homeless which gained approximately 70k. This was what he collected from one tent that had been cleaned when they were staying around parade square while it was a Designated Encampment. It was said by individuals working on the now tiny home village in Sackville that even after extensive demolishing and re-surfacing, there were needles embedded in the ground were still being found by workers. That’s not even addressing the abundance of garbage that is in these locations which also accelerates the rodent problem in the city. A self proclaimed homeless star has said on her TikTok, they even feed the rodents.

And let’s address the elephant in the room, as if there isn’t enough reasons before. Fires. And a lot of them. Nova Scotia and many other provinces are no strange to the disruptive force of a fire and we certainly aren’t ignorant to the fact that something so innocently can have deadly consequences. People who are homeless use propane heaters to heat them tents. And again, a majority are addicts. Adding fire, propane, drug abuse, over dosing or just clumsy behaviors are a recipe for disaster. This is the inside of a tent. It certainly wouldn’t take much to light it up quickly. As something as simple as a dropped cigarette or ashes with the lit end falling out.  Factor in a windy day, or a wooded area that tents have been found. The province is looking at another devastating disaster. And no, it may not be today or tomorrow. But the evidence is clearly showing that. Especially a place like Point Pleasant Park which was announced on an encampment list and since the announced list people are treating then as actually open encampments and living there regardless of their official open/closed status.