A new Homelessness and Encampment Response Protocol will guide how to respond to homelessness and encampments across Bruce County. Collaboratively designed by Bruce County, local municipalities, emergency services and community partners, the Protocol establishes a coordinated approach.
Prioritizing safety, dignity, and consistency for those experiencing homelessness, the new Protocol reflects ongoing work between municipal and community partners.
“This protocol is about making sure that when someone needs a hand, our community is ready to offer one,” said Bruce County Warden Luke Charbonneau. “By bringing agencies together, we’re creating clear pathways to housing and supports that are rooted in compassion, guided by common sense, and focused on lasting results.”
Through the Protocol, municipalities and community partners are:
- Ensuring a coordinated response to identified encampments.
- Promoting safety for individuals experiencing homelessness, the surrounding community, and the responding agencies.
- Connecting individuals with available support, services, and housing options.
- Clarifying roles and responsibilities amongst municipal staff, emergency services, and service providers.
- Supporting consistent communication and decision-making across agencies.
Warden Charbonneau continued, “We understand that homelessness is not a simple challenge, and it won’t be solved by any one group acting alone. But when we work together—across communities, across sectors—we can meet this challenge with dignity, respect, and a shared determination to help people find not just shelter, but a place to call home.”
Bruce County, local municipalities and community partners continue to work together to explore solutions to address homelessness locally through coordinated planning, support services, and the creation of pathways to long-term housing stability.
If you need support or are concerned about the well-being of a person who is unhoused, you may:
- Call 2-1-1 or visit 211ontario.ca.
- Call YMCA Rural Housing and Homelessness Outreach at 519-371-9222.
- Contact Bruce County Human Services at 1-800-265-3022 or e-mail HuSinfo@brucecounty.on.ca.
- Call 9-1-1 if someone is in serious distress or in the case of emergency.
For more details about housing and homelessness supports in Bruce County, visit www.brucecounty.on.ca/housing-and-homelessness-support.
