The City of Thunder Bay, Ontario, is taking more time to decide where to set up official camping areas for homeless residents after receiving a large amount of public feedback. A special meeting that was set for March 31, 2026, has been cancelled so staff can finish reviewing more than 3,000 comments from the community.
Officials are looking at six possible parks and streets, including Current River Park, Freedom Park, Island Drive Park, Kam River Heritage Park, Simpson Street, and the area of McKellar and Vickers. The goal is to choose up to three spots to provide basic services like portable toilets, clean water, and garbage collection for those living outdoors.
This decision follows a vote on February 17, 2026, where the City Council declared homelessness a humanitarian crisis. Recent counts show that 652 people are experiencing homelessness in the city, which is the highest number ever recorded for the community.
City staff said they need the extra time to finish environmental studies and check the history of the proposed sites to make sure they are safe for use. This work is part of the Enhanced Encampment Response Plan, which was created to help protect the health and safety of residents who do not have a permanent home.
While a temporary shelter village with 80 cabins is currently being built at the Hillyard site, it will not be large enough to house everyone in the city who needs help. The city says it is important to review all public input, including 864 surveys and 150 responses from local service providers and people with lived experience, before any final locations are approved.
