Victoria city council will continue to allow people without homes to camp in Beacon Hill Park and other approved locations during the COVID-19 outbreak without having to pack up their belongings each morning.
Despite stiff opposition from other park users and nearby residents, councillors reaffirmed a previous decision to stop enforcing overnight sheltering rules that prohibit camping from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day.
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps, who appeared close to tears in moving the recommendation at committee of the whole Thursday, acknowledged that the issue has reached a 鈥渂oiling point.鈥� But she said council and the community have to figure out a way for everyone to live together during the pandemic.
鈥淭he most difficult times define us as a community, not the good times,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd it is heartbreaking to see such vitriol coming the way of staff, coming the way of council and, particularly, citizen on citizen. And I think we can do better than this as a community.鈥�
Helps said other cities are wrestling with the same problem after the COVID-19 outbreak forced homeless shelters to close or reduce their number of spaces, pushing more people onto the street.
鈥淪o this is not a Victoria problem,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his is a Canadian problem.鈥�
The city鈥檚 latest census showed 187 people living in outdoor spaces across the city, including Beacon Hill Park, Centennial Square, Central Park, Stadacona Park and Ellice Street near Rock Bay Landing. sa国际传媒 Housing has moved hundreds of others into motel rooms and other temporary shelter locations.
Helps said allowing those who remain outside to shelter in place is consistent with public-health advice to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.
Councillors voted 7-1 in favour of her motion to allow the encampments, with only Coun. Geoff Young in opposition.
Young had called for an end to all-day camping, noting mounting complaints from people who no longer feel safe in the park and worry about lasting damage to environmentally sensitive areas.
He said council has made clear through its decisions that it doesn鈥檛 want to see tent encampments go on forever, yet it allows them to continue for an undetermined period of time before shutting them down. 鈥淎nd, frankly, I think the only people who think that that鈥檚 a good course of action are people sitting around this table,鈥� he said.
More than 10,000 people have signed an online petition calling on the city to reverse course and stop using Beacon Hill Park as a 鈥渢ent city.鈥�
Cynthia Diadick, who launched the petition, said she was 鈥渆xtremely, extremely disappointed鈥� in the mayor鈥檚 motion, which she said ignored residents鈥� concerns as well as evidence from city staff. Council was told Thursday that threats against city workers have led to a new protocol whereby bylaw officers now accompany parks staff performing routine maintenance.
鈥淎s far as I鈥檓 concerned 鈥� something bad鈥檚 going to happen,鈥� Diadick said. 鈥淎nd I hope it doesn鈥檛 happen to some innocent person. But there鈥檚 no control. There鈥檚 nobody overseeing what鈥檚 going on there.鈥�
Roy Fletcher, who chairs the Friends of Beacon Hill Park Society, said the fire department will eventually have to intervene and put an end to the camping, given the fire risks.
鈥淏ut waiting for that to happen is just not a good option,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey should have closed it down right now, because there鈥檚 more people coming all the time.鈥�
City staff confirmed officers continue to find gas-powered generators, barbecues, cigarettes, drug-burning paraphernalia and fire pits at the various encampments.
Despite those concerns, councillors said the ongoing pandemic and drug-overdose crisis require the city to ease camping restrictions.
鈥淚 personally don鈥檛 think permanent tent cities are desirable either,鈥� Coun. Ben Isitt said. 鈥淚 think housing rights, homes with supports with appropriate social care is the goal for us to work toward.
鈥淏ut, as a temporary emergency measure, I鈥檓 not prepared to support a return to the constant displacement and the cat-and-mouse game that afflicted both the unhoused as well as city staff and others prior to this pandemic.鈥�
Coun. Marianne Alto said the city will have to resume enforcement of its 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. bylaws eventually.
鈥淏ut I don鈥檛 think that time is today,鈥� she said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no place for these folks to go right now, whether it鈥檚 during the day because of all the things that have been closed or just in general.鈥�
