The mayor of Barrie, Ont., declared a state of emergency over homeless encampments in the city Tuesday, citing concerns about public safety as a justification for the decision.
Alex Nuttall said in the announcement that the residents of Barrie, a city of nearly 150,000 people north of Toronto, "have had enough" of what he described as "lawlessness."
“We've said to the community, if you want help, if you want support, Barrie wants to be the place that helps and supports you,” he said in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon.