The Millennium Park homeless encampment will be torn down starting on September 9th.
This is according to a release from the city, which says City Council gave the order to begin clearing the encampment.
“Throughout August, the situation at Millennium Park has deteriorated significantly. Recent reports from the RCMP, Prince George Fire Rescue, and City frontline workers indicate serious safety concerns for both responders and occupants of the park as the result of increased density. These conditions have severely impacted the ability of emergency responders to provide assistance to individuals sheltering on the site,” the release said, in part.
All personal items need to be removed by September 9th, after which the city said the park will be closed and everything remaining will be thrown out.
Under the Parks & Open Space Bylaw, Moccasin Flats is the only legal spot for people to temporarily shelter overnight.
You can find the full city release here.
In response to the announcement, Ravi Kahlon, the Minister of Housing, issued the following statement:
“I am disappointed to learn of Prince George council’s decision to move forward with the decampment of people who are sheltering at Millennium Park without adequate indoor shelter options.
“Addressing homelessness in Prince George is a critical priority for our government, and we know that encampments are not a long-term solution. That’s why the Province signed a memorandum of understanding with the city in June, with significant resources to ensure those in need in Prince George will have access to shelter. We had offered Prince George new resources like dedicated encampment response staff and deployment of temporary housing units to the community. 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.
“It’s especially disappointing given the positive work we have done with Mayor Simon Yu and the city on other supportive housing projects that are currently underway.
“We will do what we can to try to ensure as many people as possible are supported and have shelter, but this decision presents significant challenges. We’ll continue to monitor this situation closely and urge council to reconsider this decision.”
In June, the city and the provincial government signed a memorandum of understanding, formalizing their commitment to support unhoused people in our city.
This included implementing the new Homeless Encampment Action Response Teams and Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing programs or HEART and HEARTH.
In July the city issued another statement urging the province to work quickly at the Millennium Park encampment, calling it “a serious health and safety concern which must be addressed on an urgent basis.”
The province was working with people at the encampment to find alternative housing options, which the city says in an ongoing process.
-With files from Darin Bain
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