By Spencer Sterritt

Tale of Two Cities: Incident response calls used to defend Discontent City in court

Jul 18, 2018 | 9:13 AM

NANAIMO — The lawyer representing downtown Nanaimo’s expansive tent city told court it hasn’t led to an increase of crime and has actually reduced drug use among the cities homeless.

Lawyer Noah Ross cited the number of incident response calls 53 days before and after Discontent City was set up at 1 Port Dr. across from the busy Port Place Shopping Centre.

He explained to court there were 1125 incident responses in the roughly month-and-a-half before the tent city opened and there were 1123 incident responses after it opened.

Calls for medical aid were also reduced roughly 30 per cent across Nanaimo during the same time period after Discontent City opened.

Ross said decreasing call volumes is evidence the tent city supporters are right when they say it’s making them and the streets safer.

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Reading somewhat shakily from affidavits,” Ross said many of Nanaimo’s homeless were able to greatly reduce their stress by setting up camp.

“Moving around is stressful,” Ross read. “I have a lot of stuff and when I move either my stuff gets taken by the cops or bylaws, so I lose it when I move. Discontent City helps me because me stuff is safer.”

“Here at Discontent City I’ve found the closest thing to normal,” one affidavit claimed. “I’m no longer scrounging on the street, I have a place to put my belongings so I can take better care of my things. I used to sleep with my things tied to me by strings in doorways downtown. I don’t do this anymore.”

Without the stress of moving around, Ross also said many of Nanaimo’s homeless aren’t using drugs as often since there’s less pain and worry to cope with.

Much of Ross’s argument was reading from the affidavits filed in support of the tent city.

He did counter the City’s claim shelters were being opened to handle the homelessness crisis in Nanaimo, just like the Honourable Justice Ronald Skolrood did during the first day of the public hearing.

“There’s significant evidence that shelter spaces which do exist are not a viable option for many individuals located at the Port Dr. lands,” he said.

Once again referencing affidavits, Ross said the shelter structure can sometimes negatively affect the homeless since they’re in an enclosed space together and have to be inside by a certain time of night in order to secure a bed.

At Discontent City however, Ross argued the homeless can have a secure place to sleep while still enjoying the freedom of being an individual.

A fall 2017 NanaimoNewsNOW article illuminating how constant capacity issues were affecting local shelters was also referenced in affidavits and Ross.

Ross is expected to finish his submissions in the public hearing about the tent city on Wednesday.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit