People living in tents in Halifax-area parks urged to move amid wildfire restrictions

People who areliving in tents in wooded areas in and around Halifaxare being offered support to move to other locations following provincial restrictions introduced as a result of recent wildfires.

On Thursday, the province announced a ban on all travel and activity in Nova Scotia forests until June 25 or until conditions improve. A provincewide ban on open fires is also in place.

As a result of the ban, wooded areas of municipal parks in Halifax are closed and heavily wooded parks, likeShubie Park, Point Pleasant Park and Admiral Cove Park,are off limits.

Waye Mason, the municipal councillor for Halifax South Downtown, told CBC Radio's Information Morning Nova Scotia on Friday the municipality has been offering "wide support" for people who are homeless.

He said he visited Point Pleasant Park in the south end of Halifax with a representative of the Elizabeth Fry Society earlier in the week to check encampment sites.

"Most of them have been vacated," Mason said. "Folks have been encouraged to move out of parks and the ones that wouldn't move immediately have been geolocated so that if an emergency happenswe know where to go to try and get them out."

Mason said efforts are also being made to move people who are in tentsalong the railway cut outside the park.

943people are homeless in HRM

Max Chauvin, Halifax's director of housing and homelessness, told CBC Radio's Mainstreet Nova Scotiathat there were 943 people in the municipality who werehomeless at the end of May, according to the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia.

Chauvin said the municipality has a list of people who are living in tents in the community.

He said officials met with people inShubie Park, Point Pleasant Park and Second and First Lake parks in Lower Sackville to tell them about the provincial ban, deliver water,and assist them in moving to other areas.

Chauvin said most people were aware of the fires and were willing to consider relocating.

"It was an opportunity to do some education [and] talk to people about the fire risk here," he said. "People were all very receptive to that information and understanding the risk."

Designated locations

Accordingto Chauvin, there are designated locations that people can use for living in tents,including lower Flynn Park in Halifax and a site on Cobequid Road in Lower Sackville.

Chauvin said the ultimate goal is to find supportive, stable and sustainable housing for people who are homeless.

He said there are a number of housing projects being supported by the provincial government including the Overlook in the former Travelodge hotel and the former DoubleTree hotel, both in Dartmouth.