South Van encampment residents ‘taken by surprise’ with eviction: advocate

Another encampment is being dismantled, this time in South Vancouver.

Police are enforcing a Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) trespassing order at the encampment, which sits near the Oak Street Bridge and SW Marine Drive.

According to the Marpole Mutual Aid Network and Stop the Sweeps, on Wednesday, Vancouver Police Department officers with MoTI staff and Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services told campers that as of midnight Thursday, “they would be considered trespassing.”

“This immediately criminalizes the lives and homes of the people living on that land,” the groups said in a statement.

The plan is to have people out of the space by Friday.

“You look around at all the options, and there is none,” Roy, who says he’s been living in the encampment for more than a year, told CityNews Thursday.

“Sometimes it feels like being buried alive, because you look around at all the options and there is none.”

Roy built a “tiny home,” which sits on the property, with the hopes of eventually selling it. However, he says he now needs to figure out how to move it before it’s taken down.

Amal Ishaque, co-founder of the Marpole Mutual Aid Network, claims the people living at the encampment were unaware of the eviction notice, which was served by the province after a large fire on Saturday.

“Where do they go? People are getting kicked out of the Downtown Eastside in street sweeps, they’re coming here and now they’re going to be swept from here. Where will they go next?” Ishaque asked.

“People have shared with us that city staff have sent them from the Downtown Eastside to here. So they’re doing sweeps in the Downtown Eastside and they’re telling people to come to places like this, where there’s very little support and services in terms of not having the same infrastructure.”

She explains the group is “deeply, deeply concerned” about the people in the camp, telling CityNews officials have only offered them two days of shelter.

The Marpole Mutual Aid Network is asking the ministry for “a few more days of grace, because people were taken by surprise.” This, Ishaque says, would give people time to try and move their structures and belongings somewhere else, and connect with services and housing.

Ministry says outreach workers working to support with relocation

Despite claims that evictions were served over the weekend, the Ministry of Housing explains notices were issued on Jan. 22, with the notice period ending on Wednesday, Jan. 31.

In statement to CityNews, the ministry says addressing homelessness “is a critical priority” for the B.C. government.

“That’s why we are working with the City of Vancouver, partner ministries, BC Housing and local service providers to transition people living at the Oak and Marine encampment in Vancouver into safe accommodations to protect their health and safety,” the ministry said in an email Thursday.

“While we understand the encampment response will be challenging for its current occupants, it is necessary to address health, fire and safety issues at the encampment. Local outreach partners are offering support to all individuals at the site to support relocation to shelter, housing or provide alternative support solutions.”

The ministry says outreach workers from the city, as well as the province and Vancouver Coastal Health have been “engaging” with the people living at the encampment “for many weeks, and in some cases months,” to ensure they know what supports, services, and shelters are available.

“All individuals who engaged with outreach staff, have been offered a shelter space to move off site prior to the trespass deadline. Offers of assistance with accessing income supports and transportation to other locations have also been made. Outreach teams will continue to visit the remaining people sheltering on-site to connect them with available shelter and support,” the statement continued, citing “safety concerns” at the encampment.

The government says the MoTI is now assessing the site with other agencies, given the notice period has ended.