2020 has brought more flurries than usual to the Canadian city of Hamilton. With the onset of the pandemic, commendable flurries of activity have removed people experiencing homelessness from city streets and out of harm’s way.
Then there have been the inevitable flurries of self-congratulation as authorities have patted themselves on the back for so decisively, if temporarily, solving the street-visible manifestation of homelessness.
But as winter is bringing the snow, the spring and summer’s “done and dusted” approach to street-visible homelessness has given way to a veritable blizzard of tents and other temporary shelters that have invaded sidewalks and parks, accompanied by flurries of anger at the homeless for being homeless.
What happened? What was supposed to happen? What now? This can’t go on? This medium-sized Canadian city is being forced to reexamine as city temperatures creep downwards toward the “killing zone.” Read more in the Hamilton Spectator: Time for rethink on Hamilton homelessness
