The province wants 20 tent city residents to voluntarily move to a transitional home on Canada Day over apparent fire safety concerns, CTV News has learned.
The request comes as a judge mulls the fate of the controversial Victoria encampment following an injunction hearing earlier this week.
Our Place Society confirmed that the province is asking for it to find up to 20 residents who are willing to move into Choices Transitional Home in View Royal on Friday morning.
“BC Housing asked us if we would open up more spaces out at Choices,” said Don Evans, executive director of Our Place. “The fire order’s for tomorrow, so they’re trying to get the numbers down at tent city so they can have more space between the tents.”
Those who volunteer to move will be given the first opportunity to move into more permanent housing at the former Central Care Home on Johnson Street when it opens.
B.C. purchased the facility earlier this month for $11.2-million and is converting it into an additional 140 long-term supportive housing units.
That care home is expected to be move-in ready by late July.
Representatives from Our Place attended tent city Thursday and found some willing to move.
“I’ve had about 10 people who’ve volunteered to move over to Choices. I’ll stay down for the next little while so we’ll be back again tomorrow and Saturday,” said Evans.
The request, although not confirmed, appears to be on the authority of B.C.’s fire commissioner after the camp failed a fire inspection just over a month ago.
That prompted the province to ask for an injunction to clear campers out.
The injunction hearing went before a judge this Monday and Tuesday, and the judge has reserved his decision – likely until early next week.
Housing minister Rich Coleman has maintained that any campers displaced from tent city would have a living space available at local shelters.
