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From Pollution to Displacement: Kingston's Continuing Neglect of Belle Park

By Melissa Reid, Founder of POET Kingston (Peer Outreach Empowerment Team) — November 17, 2025

Belle Park: A Legacy of Neglect

Belle Park isn't just a park, it's a cautionary tale. In 2013, Councillor Jeff McLaren's Environmental Legal History of Belle Park made one thing clear: the city polluted this land and got convicted under the federal Fisheries Act. The Supreme Court said yes, Kingston is responsible.

Fast forward to today, and the same story is repeating. Only now, it's people, not just soil and water, who are paying the price.

When History Repeats Itself

  • 1952–1974: Belle Park is a landfill. Contaminated soil and water? Check.
  • 1997–2005: City convicted under federal law for environmental harm. Check.
  • 2013: McLaren confirms Belle Park as a contaminated site. Check.
  • 2025: Residents still living with the consequences. Check.

Health and Safety Risks… Really?

Since 2020, Belle Park has been home to unhoused residents. The city issues "health and safety" notices, but let's be real, the risk comes from contamination and mismanagement, not the people who call this place home. Any site that looks abandoned? Cleared. No alternatives, no permanent housing. Just moving people around like chess pieces.

POET Kingston: Doing the Job the City Won't

As the founder of POET Kingston, I've seen firsthand what happens when the city fails. Every month, we:

  • Conduct 175 check-ins
  • Connect 25–35 residents to medical and social services
  • Deliver blankets, medical aid, and pet care

Since February 2025, the overdose rate in Belle Park has dropped, proof that consistent support works. Meanwhile, the city drags its feet.

Water Access: A Case Study in Absurdity

Bottled water didn't arrive until mid-summer 2025 after repeated requests went unanswered. Volunteers had to transport it themselves. That's not just neglect; it's ridiculous.

Legal Accountability

The Justice Carter case (2023–2024) confirmed what we've been saying: failing to provide support when no alternatives exist violates residents' rights. Add this to McLaren's 2013 report, and the pattern is crystal clear: Kingston has a history of dropping the ball.

Residents Pay the Price

Ongoing exposure to contaminated soil and water. Repeated trauma from eviction notices and forced relocations. Disruption of community networks. Meanwhile, POET Kingston and other outreach groups rebuild trust and provide survival resources because the city refuses to act.

The Bottom Line

Belle Park was polluted under municipal oversight. Today, the city wants to clear the people living there without offering safe alternatives. Same story, different decade.

Conclusion: Stop Making It Worse

Belle Park is unsafe not because of its residents, but because of decades of city neglect. True accountability requires:

  • Recognizing Belle Park as both a contaminated site and a community of survival
  • Sustaining partnerships with outreach groups like POET Kingston
  • Committing to long-term, transparent housing solutions

Kingston: it's time to get it right or at least stop making it worse.