25959 replies to this topic

[Cassidy]

Forgot to mention, I believe the camp has spread. Spotted a tent and people on top of the hill at Saanich and Blanshard. Used to be the site of a house decades but now appears to be home to the transients.

Various campers have been in and out of that location for years now.

 

The photo of the well worn path posted here on VV a couple of days ago is that of the foot traffic of folks who panhandle that stop light by day, and camp up on the rock at night.

 

That's provincial government land as well, as you can see by the Ministry of Transportation "No Trespassing" signs posted at street level all around that rock.

[Love the rock]

Activist and tent city spokeswoman Chrissy Brett says she was renovicted from her Duncan area home recently.

I would be interested in the actual true facts pertaining to this .
What band does she belong to .
I might be recalling things wrong I was under the impression she was part of
Port Alberni reserve.
Didn’t she run into trouble with her roving tent city in Duncan .

[spanky123]

I would be interested in the actual true facts pertaining to this .
What band does she belong to .
I might be recalling things wrong I was under the impression she was part of
Port Alberni reserve.
Didn’t she run into trouble with her roving tent city in Duncan .

 

Having spoken with dozens of FN homeless people over the years as part of surveys or other outreach, I have never met someone who is from a local FN. From what I can tell, local FN have housing and outreach programs that successfully assist their own people. There may be exceptions of course but I haven't seen it yet.

 

Although we tend to treat FN as a homogenous group they are not of course. 

[FawltyVic]

Having spoken with dozens of FN homeless people over the years as part of surveys or other outreach, I have never met someone who is from a local FN. From what I can tell, local FN have housing and outreach programs that successfully assist their own people.

The only FN person I can think of off the top of my head right now who was homeless had the street name of Sasquatch, but that was years ago before his drowning accident.

[tjv]

Do we have any response from Saanich with the campers refusing to move?

[pennymurphy2000]

All the campers and tents are still there, so I guess they aren't planning on doing anything anytime soon. At the very least Saanich should be forcing them to adhere to the camping bylaws. Everything needs to be packed up and moved out by 9 am. No other resident in Saanich gets to choose which bylaws they will or will not follow. 

[Nparker]

...No other resident in Saanich gets to choose which bylaws they will or will not follow. 

Yeah, it's not Victoria. 

[FawltyVic]

Yeah, it's not Victoria.

Or maybe it's the next Victoria. 🤔

[tjv]

All the campers and tents are still there, so I guess they aren't planning on doing anything anytime soon. At the very least Saanich should be forcing them to adhere to the camping bylaws. Everything needs to be packed up and moved out by 9 am. No other resident in Saanich gets to choose which bylaws they will or will not follow. 

Do basically this is now Tent City 2.0 with a multi million dollar clean up bill coming to Saanich residents plus policing costs, etc, etc 

[Nparker]

...people are contacting BC211 for any number of reasons, but their top reasons happen month after month.  And they include housing and homelessness, income and financial assistance, mental health, health and substance use...

http://www.iheartrad...r-island-1.3893757

Does the BC-211 system have any performance deliverables?

[spanky123]

Does the BC-211 system have any performance deliverables?

 

If Cool Aid and other shelters actually posted shelter availability like they are supposed to on the BC-211 website then perhaps people wouldn't need to be calling them as often.

[Nparker]

If Cool Aid and other shelters actually posted shelter availability like they are supposed to on the BC-211 website then perhaps people wouldn't need to be calling them as often.

And perhaps we wouldn't continue to have encampments like the Regina Park situation.

[tjv]

Does the BC-211 system have any performance deliverables?

At what limits can people call?  Can say a family of 4 call and say they make 100k per year combined but are having trouble finding decently priced housing, but they still want 2 new cars, eat out every day, etc, etc

 

In my mind what's the difference between a junkie calling and saying they are having trouble finding affordable rental housing, but still want to drink and have their heroin fix every day?

 

The answer is the same in both cases

[Casual Kev]

Seeing a lot more young people begging than last month. Is this a normal summer thing?

[Nparker]

Seeing a lot more young people begging than last month. Is this a normal summer thing?

It's a local youth employment program for those who can't motivate themselves to get a traditional summer job. Throw in free overnight camping in city parks and I am sure it is seen as a pretty decent seasonal gig.

[spanky123]

It's a local youth employment program for those who can't motivate themselves to get a traditional summer job. Throw in free overnight camping in city parks and I am sure it is seen as a pretty decent seasonal gig.

 

Don't forget free meals and massages.

[pennymurphy2000]

....and the free dental. I must admit that one really bugs me as I fork over hundreds of dollars a year for regular checkups for my family.

[laconic]

Taken from the Switch Bridge. There are quite a few campers in the treed area not visible to the left of the picture, so any remediation will likely involve removal of those trees.

 

 

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[A Girl is No one]

Taken from the Switch Bridge. There are quite a few campers in the treed area not visible to the left of the picture, so any remediation will likely involve removal of those trees.

I feel really sorry for the people who live in the grey house right behind. This is not good. And if it’s anything like the tent city at the courthouse, it’s got to be a nightmare.

[FawltyVic]

Seeing a lot more young people begging than last month. Is this a normal summer thing?

Usually is or it used to be. We had the transients at one time mixed in with the "Addidas bag kids" who would come from good homes only to change into the appearance of a street person to panhandle. It seemed to be a passing phase with them.

I overheard a street person in his early 20's 2 days ago telling another that he was back in town but only til July 1st where he was expected to make $100 a day in Summerland for 5-6 hours work.

Edited by FawltyVic, 16 June 2018 - 10:02 AM.