By Dominic Abassi

City lays out demands should judge allow Discontent City to remain into November

Oct 16, 2018 | 5:29 PM

NANAIMO — The City wants strict conditions applied to Nanaimo’s illegal homeless encampment should a Supreme Court judge agree to extend the eviction deadline.

Mayor Bill McKay said Council directed the City’s lawyers to oppose an application made late last week to delay eviction of Discontent City until temporary housing is ready at the end of November. But if the application to delay is successful, McKay said they’ve submitted a list of conditions designed to improve safety for the community and those inside the camp.

“We want to reduce disruptions to the neighbourhood. We’re hearing loud and clear from both residents and businesses alike that are around the camp that they are living in what they consider to be horrendous circumstances right now,” McKay told NanaimoNewsNOW.

The City’s proposed conditions include:

• No vehicles, trailers or structures are permitted
• No persons under the age of 19 are permitted at any time
• All persons remaining at Tent City after Oct. 19 cannot claim against the City or its agents for any harm, injury or damage that may arise
• By 5 p.m. on Oct. 25 any occupant seeking to remain at Tent City is genuinely homeless, and seeks transition to housing which may be provided by the Province
• By 2 p.m. on Nov. 23 the Tent City will be permanently closed

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McKay said Council did not have any serious discussions about not opposing the application to extend the deadline, but they were forced to weigh the outcry from the community to remove the camp and pressure from organizations and the province to allow it to remain.

“We had to balance those two things. We’ve said if the court is going to hear the application, we would like to at least input some conditions and some firm dates that forecast that place being shut down.”

Justice Ronald Skolrood is scheduled to hear the application to extend the eviction deadline at 9 a.m. on Oct. 19. Last Friday, Council agreed to delay clearing out the camp until after Skolrood had a chance to hear the latest filing on the matter.

dom@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @domabassi