Achi news desk-
The tent camp on University Avenue in Halifax has grown over the past few months and although community members have given food to the people who live there, their efforts have caused some concern.
“There have been cases where people have picked up and dropped the food on a picnic table or bench and the people don’t even know it’s there. Sometimes it’s left out in the sun and no one touches it,” said Max Chauvin, Halifax Regional Municipality’s director of Housing and Homelessness.
This can lead to an increase in the number of birds and rodents in the area, which can become a concern for public health.
Samantha Nickerson and her partner Trent Smith, live in the camp on University Avenue. They said people often left food without letting those living in the area know. They are worried that this will create problems with unwanted pests in the camp.
“The last thing we want is rats and other rodents because then the bylaw will shut us down and then we’ll have nowhere to go,” Nickerson said.
This image was taken at the tent camp on University Avenue in Halifax on May 23, 2024.
This has happened before. This is one of the reasons why the city closed the Victoria Park camp.
“You would find people who would tell you that their toes were bitten by rats at night, or they would wake up and find rats in their tents and their property and their items are being chewed,” said Chauvin.
He said exterminators have been called to the University Avenue camp a few times already, however, the city says it is not yet considered a public health concern.
The city suggests that people who want to help should ask those living in camps what they need.
“They have nowhere to store them or heat them and some even have severe allergies to things,” said Chauvin.
Nickerson said she and Trent rely on food donations and don’t want them to stop either.
“It’s beneficial for most of us because it means we don’t go two or three days without having to have something to eat. There could be a stereotype that makes people nervous but they should come and talk to us.”
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