Abbotsford homeless crackdown goes to B.C. Supreme Court

A court case examining whether or not homeless people have the right to live on city property goes in front of a B.C. Supreme Courtjudgetoday.

• Abbotsford homeless campers pack up and leave park
• Abbotsford homeless pack up camp, move down the street

The Pivot Legal Society is asking the court to strike down bylaws inAbbotsford, a city in the Fraser Valleyjust east of the Metro Vancouver region boundary, thatmake it illegalto camp in city parks.

D.J.Larkin, one of Pivot's lawyers, says the City ofAbbotsfordis trampling on the rights of some of the country's most vulnerable people, and its bylawseffectively makeit 'illegal' to be homeless.

"Across Canada, we don't have a national housing strategy. What we do have ismunicipalitiesleft to manage people living on their streetsand many of them are taking aggressive approaches to that," she said.

The legal advocacy group is challenging three ofAbbotsford'slocal bylaws,including one that makes it illegal to set up a camp or a structure on public property, and another making it illegal to sleep in a parked car.

Larkin says the court's decision in this case could limit local laws which deter the homeless from sleeping, cooking and socializing on public land.

"This case really has the potential to change the legal landscape for homeless and marginalized people all across Canada," Larkin said.

Mayor stands firm

Thecitygained notoriety last year afterstaffspreadchicken manure on one site used by the homeless.

Mayor Bruce Banman later apologizedfor the incident, saying he knew nothing of the plan. He says cities like his are in a bind.

"It comes down to financial dollars, resources and expertise. Cities are supposed to look after really exciting things like water and sewer," he told CBC News.

Banman says despite Abbotsford's perceived hard-line approach, the city is doing its best to help the homeless but he said itwon't bedropping thecontroversial anti-loitering bylaws.