New panhandling rules won't clear downtown streets of begging, say police

Charlottetown's new panhandling rules won't clear the downtown streets of people begging for money, says the deputy chief of police.

The changes to the city's nuisance bylaw are meant to target aggressive panhandling, said Gary McGuigan.

Police asked Charlottetown council for the new tools, saying they hear of panhandlers not letting people pass or chasing after them, repeatedly asking for money and even threatening people for cash.

"You know, we hear that it's happening, but we need people to come forward that are being solicited in this manner, and a lot of times the people don't do it, they just go on their way."

People must feel threatened for fine to be laid

The changes to the bylaw state someone must feel their security or safety is threatened by a panhandler for a ticket to be handed out.

"Anyone that follows you, makes continued requests after you've told them no. Anyone who insults you or threatens you or tries to intimidate you into giving them money," said McGuigan, adding a first offence will net a panhandler a $200 fine.

The new rules include the ability to ticket anyone who is panhandling under the influence of alcohol or drugs, but McGuigan said that doesn't mean someone would be fined if they've had a drink and were asking for money. They would have to be behaving aggressively to be fined, he said.

Under the new rules, panhandlers will also have to be careful where they ask for money. A new "captive audience" clause means anyone panhandling less than five metres from places where people gather, including bank machines, bus lines or even people getting in and out of parked cars could face a fine. 

"A lot of time what panhandlers will do is they will target places like an ATM machine where they know people are going in. A lot of times they will just set up shop outside that."

Police will continue acting on complaints

But again, McGuigan emphasized, police will only be ticketing people who are panhandling aggressively in these areas, based on complaints from individuals and businesses. 

"When we receive calls, if people are intimidated or they're blocking the sidewalk or, you know, a business calls and they have been aggressive or people are intimidated we'll respond."

Police asked for the changes to the bylaw after seeing an increase in panhandling in the downtown.

"You know, there are places on Queen Street where on every block you would see somebody that was not doing the captive audience or the aggressive panhandling but they would be on the street corners with their cardboard signs looking for money," said McGuigan, with more expected to arrive with the warmer summer weather.

"It was an issue we thought we had to look at addressing."

Rules adopted from other Canadian cities

Charlottetown based its new approach on rules that have been in play in other cities, including Edmonton, Saskatoon and Fredericton.

Police in Fredericton handed out more than 100 tickets in the first 22 months the rules were in place there, with criticisms raised that the $140 fines were an inappropriate way to tackle the problem. Many of the fines in Fredericton have gone unpaid.

But McGuigan said fines aren't the only strategy being tried. He points to the new caring meters in the downtown which will direct spare change to social service agencies, like the Salvation Army and the soup kitchen, that help the homeless.

"So that everybody that needs [help] will be able to get it hopefully and not just concentrate on these individuals that are soliciting in the downtown."