Council willing to revisit Charlottetown panhandling under nuisance bylaw

The city is working on more ways to deal with panhandlers in Charlottetown at Monday night's council meeting, the idea was floated that the city expand prohibited areas for soliciting money.

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Right now, Charlottetown's Nusiance Bylaw prohibits "aggressive solicitation" in all public places, as well as a complete ban on solicitation in"high-traffic areas" in the city, which includes things like ATMs, traffic stops andbus stops.

"There's some more discussion going on about panhandlers in our city," said Jason Coady, who chairs the city's protective and emergency services committee.

"We will revisit that as a committee and take any recommendations the committee can make back to council."

Last year, he said, the committee came up with recommendations under the nuisance bylaw, which council approved. Now, he said, more changes may be needed.

'A sensitive issue'

"It's an ongoing issue. It's an issue that we looked at dealing with last year as a council and we have made adjustments," said Coady.

"It's a sensitive issue and we recognize that, and we want to have a safe, tourist-friendly community, a vibrant downtown and we are doing everything possible to ensure that."

The problem is complex, Coady said, and police can't be expected to solve it alone. Soliciting peacefully on a sidewalk in an area that is not deemed high-traffic is not illegal, he noted.

"We have been doing everythingin out power as a police department to minimize panhandling," Coady said.

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