Sudbury's unhoused used this space to keep warm, until the city covered it with a trash can

The City of Greater Sudbury says a garbage bin was screwed on top of the sidewalk grate on Elgin Street as it was a space repeatedly used for encampments and "posed a significant risk to those staying there during snowplow operations."

But some unhoused people told CBC they don't believe this was done for their safety.

Colleen Wabanosse has spent several cold winter nights on top of the grate, capturing the warmth coming out of the vent. 

"It used to be the warmest, safest place to be," she said. 

"It almost felt like being in an apartment, that's how warm it was. It would heat your tent right up." 

Wabanosse has been experiencing homelessness and a drug use disorder for years. She'll sometimes go to the shelter, if there are free beds, but she'd rather be outside in a tent. 

"It's my own space. I can do my drugs and I'm more comfortable, not stressed about people stealing my stuff or bothering me," she said. 

Wabanosse and other unhoused people say they were distraught to find that a trash can had been installed in that spot. 

"There's barely any heat coming out of it now… We won't be able to stay there. The garbage can covers the whole vent." 

She said she doesn't understand the city's reasoning. 

"Our tent always had orange tarp over it… the snowplows knew we were there," she said, adding they spoke with operators and shovelled the space they were using themselves. 

"They didn't seem to have a problem with us there. This is about more than that." 

Architect wishes alternatives had been explored

The sidewalk grate is in front of Laurentian University's McEwen School of Architecture, an institution that has supported and published work advocating against the use of design to exclude certain people from public spaces. 

Christopher Baziw, a graduate of the program, has researched hostile architecture. 

He believes the city should have looked at other ways to keep people safe. 

"A trash can is one option, but why not just put some bollards around the grate? That way the snowplow isn't going to hit people. It's a more dignified response." 

He said the city uses big bright bollards all the time to prevent things like fire hydrants from being damaged by the plows. 

"The city uses concrete bollards to defend a fire hydrant, but then a trash can to protect someone who's unhoused… What does that tell you?" 

CBC asked to interview city staff to learn more about the decision to block access to the sidewalk grate, but no one was made available. 

The short statement received instead reads: "The garbage bin placed on the sidewalk grate near 85 Elm Street was positioned there for safety. The grate was repeatedly used as a space to build encampments and posed a significant risk to those staying there during snowplow operations."

The city did not specify how many incidents have occurred during snow plowing in areas where unhoused people have set up their tents. This story will be updated if an interview is granted.