Indigenous leader says she was never informed of plans for an encampment site in Timmins, Ont.

Jonathan Migneault · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 09, 2025 11:55 AM EDT | Last Updated: 26 minutes ago

An Indigenous person who lives successful TImmins, Ont., says she was ne'er consulted astir a connection for an encampment relocation task astatine the borderline of municipality adjacent a landfill site.

In March, Timmins metropolis assembly voted successful favour of a program to enactment up to 40 impermanent exigency shelters astatine a tract connected Pine Street South that does not presently person entree to nationalist transit, hydro and h2o work from the city.

"It truly made maine bittersweet to wherever I really cried because, you know, the mode that we're treating this radical of radical isn't right," said Natasha Martin, lawman expansive main of Mushkegowuk Council, which represents 7 First Nations successful bluish Ontario.

"You know, putting them crossed the thoroughfare from a dump isn't right."

Martin noted that Indigenous radical correspond astir fractional of the stateless colonisation successful Timmins.

According to a caller informal count, determination are astir 400 radical experiencing homelessness successful the Cochrane district, which includes Timmins. 

Before council's determination to spell with the site, the metropolis received input from astir 3,500 residents done nationalist consultations, according to Dave Landers, Timmins's main administrative officer. 

But Martin said she was ne'er made alert of that survey.

"Did it decently seizure the dependable of Timmins?" she asked. "And erstwhile I accidental the dependable of Timmins, I mean regular assemblage members."

Martin said she would not person personally chosen the Pine Street South determination arsenic the tract for the impermanent exigency shelters.

"We accidental that we're 'The City with the Heart of Gold,'" she said. "I don't spot that. I really, truly don't get it. And that makes maine sad."

After learning astir the city's plans, Martin said she wrote a missive to Timmins Mayor Michelle Boileau, who she said has been a "great ally" to Mushkegowuk people, successful bid to sermon the connection and stock an Indigenous position connected it.

"We really had a speech yesterday [Monday], her and I," Martin said.

"We had a little conversation. And from there, I was capable to truly dependable what I want, similar what I truly thought."

In a connection to CBC News, Boileau said she received Martin's missive and values her feedback.

"The volition of the projected encampment effect inaugural is to supply due alternate lodging to assistance determination radical into harmless shelter, portion besides supporting the city's efforts to mitigate encampments successful nationalist parks and spaces," Boileau said. 

"A last determination is inactive pending council's reappraisal of work plans for the project. "