Province 'disappointed' by Prince George's plan to remove encampment

British Columbia's housing minister admonished Prince George city council's decision to remove an encampment in the city's downtown. 

In a written statement, Ravi Kahlon said he was disappointed to hear the city plans to remove people sheltering at Millennium Park "without adequate indoor shelter options."

Calling homelessness in Prince George "a critical priority" for the province, Kahlon said his office offered the city resources such as dedicated encampment response staff and temporary housing units. 

"Despite that, council has chosen not to access those resources to assist people living in Millennium Park to move indoors and to move unilaterally with this decampment — in the absence of appropriate resources," the statement reads.

In June, the City of Prince George signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Housing "to recognize the partners' shared purpose of supporting people in encampments and unsheltered" through new programs, such as homeless encampment response teams (HEART) and homeless encampment action response for temporary housing (HEARTH).

In a statement announcing the decision to remove the encampment, the City of Prince George said the situation at Millennium Park has "deteriorated significantly," and RCMP, Prince George Fire Rescue, and city workers are concerned about the safety of occupants and first responders. 

The city says those living at the park have been told to remove their belongings by Sept. 9.

"Any material remaining in Millennium Park after this date will be removed and permanently disposed of," reads the statement. 

Mayor Simon Yu told CBC News that he shares the minister's disappointment, but feels the move is necessary. 

"Winter is going to be upon us soon ... We need to ensure the safety of the encampment people as well," Yu said. 

In March, city council voted in favour of a "centralized" encampment model that would designate a space where people can set up shelters overnight. 

The Ministry of Housing says that, in addition to resources it had offered Prince George, multiple housing projects are underway, including 20 beds at the Fraser Inn scheduled to open in December, and a 52-unit supportive housing development. 

"We will do what we can to try and ensure as many people as possible are supported and have shelter, but this decision presents significant challenges," reads the statement from Kahlon. "We'll continue to monitor this situation closely and urge council to reconsider this decision."

The City of Prince George faced multiple B.C. Supreme Court challenges for its handling of an encampment at Moccasin Flats. In 2021, Honourable Chief Justice Christopher E. Hinkson ruled the encampment could stay after the city was unable to prove there was adequate shelter for everyone living there.

Despite this, the City of Prince George removed shelters and belongings that they claimed were abandoned, but those living there say they were not. Items like photo albums, the ashes of loved ones, tents, and tools were all lost. Many of those residents are still waiting for compensation they believe is owed to them by the city.