Bruce County, community partners introduce Homelessness and Encampment Response Protocol

A new Homelessness and Encampment Response Protocol will guide how to respond to homelessness and encampments across Bruce County.

Collaboratively designed by the county, local municipalities, emergency services and community partners, the protocol establishes a co-ordinated approach. It prioritizes safety, dignity, and consistency for those experiencing homelessness, and 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 warden Luke Charbonneau. “By bringing agencies together, we’re creating clear pathways to housing and support that are rooted in compassion, guided by common sense, and focused on lasting results.”

Through the protocol, municipalities and community partners are:
 

• Ensuring a co-ordinated 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 among municipal staff, emergency services, and service providers
• Supporting consistent communication and decision-making across agencies

“We understand that homelessness is not a simple challenge, and it won’t be solved by any one group acting alone," said Charbonneau. "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.”

The county, local municipalities and community partners continue to work together to explore solutions to address homelessness locally through co-ordinated 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 211 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 by E-mail: HuSinfo@brucecounty.on.ca
• Call 911 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.