By Spencer Sterritt

Eviction notices handed out to Nanaimo’s homeless at downtown tent city

May 25, 2018 | 6:58 PM

NANAIMO — After setting up more than a week ago, Nanaimo’s homeless are being told to leave their tents behind. 

The City of Nanaimo handed out eviction notices to the homeless at Discontent City around 4:45 p.m. on Friday, May 25. An injunction will be filed with the Supreme Court of B.C. against any who remain at the site after Tuesday, May 29. The decision to evict the homeless was made at a Friday afternoon in-camera meeting.

Roughly 50 people had set up camp at 1 Port Dr. on City-owned land across from the Port Place Shopping Centre. 

Nanaimo mayor Bill McKay said though the City is sympathetic to those struggling to find housing, they wanted to take action before the camp could become entrenched, much like what happened in Victoria, Vancouver and Maple Ridge. 

“The community really wants to help these people,” McKay told NanaimoNewsNOW. “The challenge we’re having…is that Port Place Mall is essentially under siege right now. Crime and lawlessness has taken over the Mall to the point where hard-working community members are afraid to go there.” 

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He said illegal drug use, robbery and customers being accosted has increased dramatically at the shopping centre since Discontent City first opened. 

Tent city organizers said they’ve kept their site clean and have no reason to visit Port Place Shopping Centre and cause a disturbance. 

“I think that’s brought on by seeing a group of homeless people all together and then assuming crime rates are going to go up,” Mercedes Courtorielle told media outside Discontent City. “We have our port-a-potties, we have our donations, we have our own community that’s taking care of each other.” 

An emergency meeting at the camp was called Friday night. Courtorielle said they voted to stay at 1 Port Dr. and no one wanted to head back onto the streets.

“When the RCMP come by at 9 a.m. (on Tuesday) we’re not going down without a fight,” she said, clarifying she didn’t mean it as a threat. “No one wants to leave. When we moved in here, there was an overwhelming sense of relief that they could sleep, that their things wouldn’t be taken or seized….It’s rebuilding a community that’s been lost.”

Organizers and camp leadership are now organizing a rally for 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

The possibility of eviction notices and an injunction was discussed early in the planning stages of the tent city. 

“We welcome the opportunity to be brought before a judge that hopefully isn’t encumbered by the bigotry that seems to be clouding the Nanaimo city council’s judgement here,” Courtorielle said. 

Tent city organizers said they first moved onto the land to protest the lack of affordable housing in Nanaimo and the loss of $7 million in provincial funding for a supportive housing project in Chase River.

After the first tent city was erected right on the lawn of City Hall, $350,000 in funding was approved by councillors to help with the housing and homelessness situation, such as more needle disposal boxes, expanded hours for downtown security and start-up money for a daytime drop-in centre. 

“We’re going as fast as we can and listening to every proposal that comes forward,” McKay said. “So I find it very hard to understand that there are people out there who want us to help them, who are in fact, from what I can see, biting the hand that wants to help.” 

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit