Councillor Geoff Young tried to bring forward a motion at the Committee of the Whole today to start addressing the growing numbers of homeless campers in Beacon Hill park, and other parks in the city.
The motion had been scheduled for next week -- but Young said certain issues were becoming urgent and needed addressing sooner than later:
" I think we need to recognize that every day counts in changing the direction in which we're going. And I'm very conscious from again from past experience, and experience elsewhere, that once entrenched these campgrounds are really difficult to address.'"
Young argues occupation of the parks is causing significant damage to the natural environment, particularly in Beacon Hill Park; that occupation of park areas by campers excludes use by the public, there have been fires resulting in danger to life and park environments, and campers are coming from outside the region bringing an increased risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Young also told his colleagues a majority of the campers have not applied to be housed:
" We were told this morning that two thirds of the campers, the hundred or so in Beacon Hill Park, have not even applied for housing. Partly because, I guess, they just haven't been reached yet, it may be that some of them have newly arrived, some of them may not have chosen to apply for housing. "
Councillor Charlayne Thornton-Joe added that she received an email from someone saying they had heard camping in Beacon Hill was allowed, and wondering if their visiting relatives might be allowed to camp there rather than spend money on a hotel. She replied she wouldn’t recommend it, but added she wasn’t quite sure what to say.
Mayor Lisa Helps argued the motion should be deferred to next week to receive input from public health officials, and that passed unanimously.
A Change.org petition demanding action from council on the issue has reached almost 75-hundred signatures. The original goal was 1,000.