We know that many people have questions about the encampment at City Hall and what actions the City is taking following the court decision we received in October, which is why we are providing this interim update.
Many of you are aware that, on Oct. 17, the Supreme Court of BC issued a 74-page decision on an injunction application made by the Matsqui Abbotsford Impact Society (on behalf of the Drug War Survivors), who were seeking to prevent the City from removing a homelessness encampment at City Hall. Although the Court denied the injunction, it ordered several conditions for the City in proceeding with the removal of the encampment.
The conditions imposed by the Court include a list of services that the City is required to provide to the people living in the encampment. However, many of these services are outside of our control and/or jurisdiction, like providing housing options, harm reduction services, mental health assessments, and addiction and overdose prevention services. All of these services are provided in BC by the provincial government through agencies like Fraser Health and BC Housing (not by municipal staff), and the residents of Abbotsford pay taxes to the provincial and federal governments (not to the City) for the provision of these services.
As the City does not have the mandate, authority or funding to provide these services, the City of Abbotsford has filed an appeal to the Court to have these conditions removed. In the meantime, the City of Abbotsford continues to be in contact with BC Housing and community outreach partners to ensure they continue their work in addressing the housing, health care and harm reduction needs of the people in the encampment. Unfortunately, we understand that many individuals have chosen not to accept the services they have offered.
The City is also taking steps to ensure that the encampment located at City Hall does not expand, which is also a condition contained within the court decision. In ensuring this court ordered condition is met, the City recently provided notice of removal to 10 individuals who arrived at the encampment after the Court issued its decision. On Nov. 19, these individuals were removed from the encampment, and several media outlets covered this action by the City.
All of us on Abbotsford City Council agree that homelessness is one of the most challenging issues we face as a community and around the Council table. As community leaders, we absolutely understand and fully support ensuring that appropriate social services are made available for vulnerable members of our community. However, as a City Council we also have a duty to ensure that our residents are not unfairly paying to provide services that are the responsibility of other levels of government, and for which they have already paid taxes to those senior levels of government to receive.
Abbotsford City Council