With nowhere to go, residents of the Saanich homeless camp forced out of their Carey Road location alongside Highway 17 Tuesday are at a standstill.
Together Against Poverty Society, a Victoria-based legal advocacy organization rented two U-Hauls to assist campers with moving their belongings. The residents had intended to return to Rudd Park where they had camped previously, but were turned away by police upon arrival at approximately 1 p.m. Tuesday.
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B次元官网网址淲e went to Rudd, turned away, we are told to go to any park but canB次元官网网址檛 bring chattel so we donB次元官网网址檛 know what to do,B次元官网网址� said Blair Este, a resident of the camp now calling themselves Namegans Nation.
The tent city residents left Rudd when told they could not bring in any B次元官网网址渃hattelB次元官网网址� other than what is on their backs.
In a tweet Tuesday morning, Saanich police said B次元官网网址渢emporary overnight sheltering can occur from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m.B次元官网网址� with a list of more than 100 parks in the municipality where camping is legal overnight.
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Mainroad South Island Contracting LP, a contractor for the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, under whose jurisdiction the Carey Road lands fall, erected black fencing in order to keep people out after Saanich police cordoned the area off with police tape earlier Tuesday.
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In a statement emailed to Black Press, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing said the safety of the campers as well as the 26,000 people who drive along that stretch of Highway 17 are B次元官网网址渙ur first priority.B次元官网网址�
The ultimate goal is to get people into shelters and longer-term housing, the statement read, adding the ministry is working with non-profit partners to open winter shelters B次元官网网址渁s soon as possibleB次元官网网址� at the Victoria Native Friendship Centre.
Update from Carey Rd where the tent city occupants are on the curb with their belongings and B次元官网网址渘owhere to go.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址� Saanich B次元官网网址 (@saanichnews)
As well, the ministry said it is working on B次元官网网址渄istributing rent supplements to help people find housing in the private market.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭his situation continues to show that people do not have enough affordable and supportive housing options in the region. Solving this challenge in the region will require local governments to partner with the provincial government by identifying sites for supportive housing.B次元官网网址�
Camp leader Chrissy Brett said the intention is to park the U-Hauls at Rudd Park to discuss the next step for campers.
B次元官网网址淭he important thing is to keep those people that are still here together,B次元官网网址� said camp leader Chrissy Brett. B次元官网网址淧eople who have left have plans to rejoin our group as soon as we resettle to wherever it is weB次元官网网址檙e going.B次元官网网址�
- With files from Travis Paterson
