Over the past couple of weeks we have received some questions from residents regarding the protest encampment led by the Drug War Survivors (DWS) homelessness advocacy group currently located at City Hall. DWS is protesting the lack of housing options for homeless people and is asking for free land to be provided for those who wish to camp permanently.
Homelessness and people at risk of homelessness are complex issues, and remain growing concerns for our community as well as many others across the province. The tents outside of City Hall are a reminder that solutions are not one-size-fits-all, and that vulnerable people are someone’s son, daughter, parent or friend and deserve dignity and compassion. That is why we are working closely with the Ministry of Housing and BC Housing to ensure the protestors can access the supports they need. Providing housing is a provincial responsibility, so it’s vital that our provincial partners are part of the dialogue with the protestors.
As DWS has identified the encampment as a protest, the City is respecting the rights of the protestors as set out in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. However, to ensure we balance the needs of our community and those accessing City Hall or living in the neighbourhood around City Hall, we are also working closely alongside the Abbotsford Police Department to monitor carefully the situation to ensure the safety of residents and our staff, along with those in the encampment who are protesting.
City of Abbotsford Bylaw Services, Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service and Abbotsford Police Department members conduct joint safety inspections daily, and our Parks Operations staff continue to monitor and respond to areas around City Hall for general cleanliness of the precinct. Bylaw Services also continues to engage our provincially-funded social services outreach partners to ensure housing and shelter support services are offered frequently. They also conduct regular inspections of the entire Civic Precinct, ensuring compliance with regulations regarding camping outside the protest area.
Over the past decade, the City has continued to work closely with the Province through BC Housing to ensure people experiencing homelessness in our community have access to available shelter spaces or supportive housing options. You can read more about this work here. In alignment with the federal and provincial governments, the City of Abbotsford has adopted a "Housing First" approach to addressing homelessness that involves moving people experiencing homelessness — particularly people experiencing chronic homelessness — into stable and long-term housing with supports. We understand the critical importance of providing safe and legal spaces for individuals to live, especially in the context of the current housing crisis, which is one of the reasons the City has gone as far as leasing land for several BC Housing social housing projects in our community.
It is the responsibility of the Province to address housing issues, especially where there are gaps in the types of social housing. Unfortunately, by not having those gaps addressed, municipalities are left to struggle with the on-the-ground impacts with little to no support. For this reason, we will continue to work closely with the Province to address the issues that have been raised by the protestors.
Abbotsford City Council