Victoria city council seeks solutions for 'untenable and unsafe' camp in civic square

Victoria's city council is looking for waysto "better manage" a homeless encampmentin the civic square where police bustedan alleged drug trafficking ring this week.

The increased urgency for improvementscomes as a local business spokesperson says the survival of nearbybusinesses is threatened by property crime ratesthat have exploded sincethe pandemic pushed more people out ofindoor shelters.

"I don't want to prejudge who may be guilty of what, but absolutely, Centennial Square has become untenable and unsafe," Victoria Mayor Lisa Helpstold On the Island host Gregor Craigie.

"I will be the first to admit that it's not working for anyone and it's creating unnecessary tension and, very sadly, unnecessary division in our community."

Police announced trafficking charges against 17 people on Aug. 26 who arealleged to have used the tents to sellfentanyl and other drugs.

Helps convened aclosed-door meeting of council Aug. 27to discussthe city's legal authority to restricthomeless camping during thepandemic and provincial state of emergency.

She said city staff are working on options to "better manage"activity in the square andwill bring forward possiblepolicy or bylaw changes to the next council meeting.

In response tointerest in reverting to rules that forced campersto pack up each day, she said, "I think that that would be very unwise," she said."Whereare 275 people going to go during the day?"

Helps says she spenther vacation exploring potential places to temporarily house campers: At University of Victoria facilities, the Canadian Forces Base, the Ogden Point cruise ship terminal, at a former seniors care facility in the Oak Bay neighbourhood. None appear workable.

One positive development is 24 new spaces coming available at therapeutic recovery community in View Royal.

"That's for a very specific group of people. That's men who are ready to go into recovery," she said.

Jeff Bray, the executive director of the Downtown Victoria Business Association, sayshis members want city council to end camping in the downtown commercial area of Victoria altogether.

Downtown break-ins up 800 per cent

"We show literally an explosion during the COVID pandemic," Bray said."It was an 800 per cent increase in break and enters in downtown compared to the same time the previous year."

"It's not always the individuals that might actually be in the tents. It's the criminal element that they also attract around them," he said.

Bray said that in addition tolosses from theft and expenses such as replacement of brokenwindows, he's alsoconcerned aboutemployeesin the city core.

"You have lots of young staff, you know, working their way through university who are in charge of closing up small boutiques and retail shops, who've increasingly been feeling unsafebecause of the street disorder, people using drugs right outside their door,"he said.

With files from CBC Radio On the Island