An activist supporting NanaimoB次元官网网址檚 Discontent City claims the city will dismantle the camp on Friday, despite the provincial governmentB次元官网网址檚 recent request that it remain open.

Amber McGrath, supporter of Discontent City, told the B次元官网网址 Bulletin that fire chief Karen Fry, the cityB次元官网网址檚 director of public safety, informed her and other supporters during a phone call yesterday that the camp will be dismantled on Oct. 12. Fry, according to McGrath, also told them bus tickets would be purchased for those living in the camp who have family outside of Nanaimo.

B次元官网网址淎ny vehicle left on the property after midnight on Oct. 12 is going to be impounded and towed. Anybody that tries to stop their [belongings] from being taken away, cleaned up and thrown out, is going to be arrested and they are going to lose everything,B次元官网网址� McGrath said . B次元官网网址淭hey are going to be shoved out into our parks with maps saying where they can stay and there isnB次元官网网址檛 shelters for them.B次元官网网址�

McGrathB次元官网网址檚 comments come just days after the Selina Robinson, minister of municipal affairs and housing, announced that 170 temporary supportive housing units will be coming to Nanaimo. However, because the units wonB次元官网网址檛 be move-in ready until November, RobinsonB次元官网网址檚 announcement made it clear that the province was expecting the city to allow Discontent City to remain in place beyond Oct. 12.

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According to an e-mailed statement from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing to the B次元官网网址 Bulletin on Wednesday morning, the modular supportive housing units are currently being shipped from Fort St. John and will arrive in Nanaimo late next week.

The B.C. Supreme Court granted the City of Nanaimo an injunction against Discontent City, which was illegally formed in May. In his ruling, Justice Ronald Skolrood said the Nanaimo RCMP will have the ability to arrest anyone who remains on the property following Oct. 12.

McGrath called the cityB次元官网网址檚 decision to go against the province and dismantle the camp a terrible idea for the entire community.

B次元官网网址淭he bottom line is there are 300-plus people down there and they are going to be in our streets in four days,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭o displace all these people on the streets is a death sentence. They need to be together and they need to support each other and they shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be left out in the bush and told to go die because that is not fair.B次元官网网址�

McGrath said the provinceB次元官网网址檚 decision to provide housing is B次元官网网址渁mazingB次元官网网址� and a good start, adding that she is proud of those at the tent city for standing up and fighting for what they believe in. However, she also said people at Discontent City are scared because they donB次元官网网址檛 know what is going to happen.

B次元官网网址淲e canB次元官网网址檛 put these people out on the street,B次元官网网址� McGrath said. B次元官网网址淲e canB次元官网网址檛. We just canB次元官网网址檛.B次元官网网址�

Nanaimo Mayor Bill McKay said Discontent City will be shut down in an organized and B次元官网网址減ragmaticB次元官网网址� way, but wouldnB次元官网网址檛 disclose when the shutdown will occur. He also rejected McGrathB次元官网网址檚 claims about FryB次元官网网址檚 directions, calling Alliance Against Displacement an organization that has B次元官网网址渘o credibility.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淪tay out of it,B次元官网网址� McKay said about the groupB次元官网网址檚 continuing involvement with Discontent City. B次元官网网址淟et us deal with the people inside that camp and let them determine their own fate.B次元官网网址�

McKay said he had not heard anything about the supportive housing arriving in Nanaimo next week. He also said the city has received nothing in writing that concretely confirms the provinceB次元官网网址檚 recent announcement.

B次元官网网址淲e have received nothing from the minister, nothing from B.C. Housing that we can go to the bank on,B次元官网网址� McKay said. B次元官网网址淭here are lots of statements being made in the media but nothing that theyB次元官网网址檝e put pen to paper. There have been no MOUs or anything.B次元官网网址�

McKay stressed that the city has a B次元官网网址渃ourt orderB次元官网网址� to shut down Discontent City and that members of Alliance Against Displacement need to understand that. He said the people living at Discontent City arenB次元官网网址檛 the only residents who need to be looked after.

B次元官网网址淭here are neighbours to that site [Discontent City] who are being vandalized and victimized,B次元官网网址� McKay said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not just the people at tent city that we have to concern ourselves with; the neighbours have had enough.B次元官网网址�

Meanwhile, Const. Gary OB次元官网网址橞rien, Nanaimo RCMP media spokesperson, said he could not disclose when Discontent City will be shut down. He said the police are in B次元官网网址渃onstantB次元官网网址� dialogue with individuals at the camp and that they are aware of the injunction, adding that when the decision is made to officially close the camp, the police will be responsible for ensuring that happens.

B次元官网网址淚f there are people that refuse to leave, then of course, our role would be to escort from [the property]. We may end up arresting people, we may not,B次元官网网址� OB次元官网网址橞rien said.

Fry could not be reached by press time.

nicholas.pescod@nanaimobulletin.com
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