As Barrie, Ont., moves to clear encampments, some people say they have nowhere to go

For the past 15 years, Shania Steeves has slept on sidewalks and stayed in overcrowded, sometimes unsafe shelters.

She has been homeless off and on for nearly half of her life, and she has always preferred living in encampments , where she found community and support among people who are going through the same challenges.

Steeves and more than 100 others in Barrie, Ont., may soon lose that support network.

The city’s mayor, Alex Nuttall, declared a state of emergency last month over homeless encampments, citing public safety concerns due to what he described as “lawlessness” on municipal property. The declaration came after police found the remains of two people in one large encampment as part of a double homicide investigation.

The city has since ramped up efforts to clear encampmen