Panhandling is not a crime.

There is no law that says you can’t stand beside a road or outside an LCBO store with a sign and solicit donations, as long as you're on public property. There is no bylaw in Burlington that restricts it, and even if there were, it would be difficult to enforce, because fines have been shown to have very little effect on panhandlers.

Like in many cities, roadside beggars are a fairly common sight at major intersections in Burlington. According to municipal officials, they are the subject of regular complaints. In response, councillors spent almost an hour at the June 11 planning and development meeting discussing how it can be addressed.

For Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, concerns centre on safety.

“I have no intention, nor would I support a bylaw to ban panhandling within the city limits of Burlington. We just want to keep people safe, so where it occurs is very important to me,” said Meed Ward.

According to police, as long as individuals don’t panhandle on the road itself, it is not illegal, and there is little they can do in terms of enforcement.

Police say they have no evidence that local beggars are victims of human trafficking or that they are part of organized crews.

Insp. Ivan L’Ortye with the Halton Regional Police said the vast majority of panhandlers in Burlington are not locals.

“I don’t think this is a matter that can be legislated away,” said L’Ortye. “The majority of these individuals are not from Burlington. They are not from around here. They don’t have ties to the area. I would estimate probably over 65 per cent, as a conservative estimate.”

L’Ortye said that, in conversations he and his officers have had with local panhandlers, the reason for them coming to Burlington is that the community tends to be generous.