The province says it is aware of, and monitoring, a growing encampment in Hope that has raised safety concerns among residents.
The ministries involved also confirmed this week that the encampment, along Flood Hope Road, is a ministry right-of-way and Crown land.
In a joint email to the The Hope Standard, the ministries of Forests, Housing and Municipal Affairs, and Transportation and Transit, said they are working with the appropriate partners and monitoring the situation in order to determine a solution.
"People in B.C. are allowed to camp on Crown land in one location for up to 14 days," the Ministry of Forests stated. "The Natural Resource Officer Service enforces the Land Act on a priority basis and requires collaboration by partner agencies that can assist in providing a comprehensive solution to the issue of homeless camps on Crown land.
"The process takes time to ensure fair treatment which includes education, a trespass notice, and finally a seizure notice when all else fails."
Hope locals Colleen and Charlene Hasell sent a letter to officials and media about the encampment voicing their concerns about it being a wildfire risk, and posing public safety and environmental issues. The women's letter also noted residents have created new roads, and that a wildfire in 2022 was believed to have been caused by garbage and activity at the encampment.
"As part of the provincial approach to addressing encampments, which is led by the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, the Ministry of Transportation and Transit is working closely with partner agencies," the Ministry of Transportation stated. "The ministry continues to monitor the situation to ensure there are no safety concerns for the travelling public or members of the encampment."
A resident of the encampment, Mindy Bear, disagreed with the letter, and said the photos do not accurately portray the encampment's true living conditions. She also disagreed with the encampment being a wildfire risk and said the Hope Fire Department had examined the area. To emphasize her point, she posted her own photos of her living area in the encampment that show a tidily arranged garden space with stairs, decorative fencing and a seating area.
"Encampments are best prevented and resolved by offering people a pathway out of homelessness, which includes shelter first, assessment and support to move to a range of housing options that best meet individual needs," the Ministry of Housing stated. "Through the Province鈥檚 Belonging in B.C. homelessness plan, the Province is prioritizing the health and well-being of people sheltering in encampments through outreach, housing, health, social and cultural supports to move indoors."
The Ministry of Housing said it has been investing in projects to provide support for homelessness since 2017. The Belonging in BC homelessness plan "is delivered through initiatives across government and supported by investments of $633 million in Budget 2022 and $1.5 billion in Budget 2023, and an additional $90 million in Budget 2025 to expand homeless and encampment response and temporary housing solutions into new communities."
