Yellowknife council committee meeting hears objections to worker camp

There were lots of objections at a Yellowknife council committee meeting Tuesday to a proposed 250-person work camp a developer wants to set up next to a residential neighbourhood.

• Hey neighbour: Plans for worker camp catch Yellowknife homeowners by surprise

The contractors building the new Stanton hospital say they need the camp to house out-of-town workers. They're applying for a zoning change to build the camp in a lot at the edge of an industrial park, next to a new residential subdivision.

But people living in the subdivision say they don't want 250 transient workers living next door and the Yellowknife developer who is building the subdivision in phases says the work camp would jeopardize his investment.

"I don't understand why they don't go into the market and get hotel rooms," said Les Rocher, who owns Homes North.

"I was just talking to someone from the hotel association. There's rooms available. There's apartments available. They're just doing it because it's more economical."

Residents say there are47 children in the neighbourhood, an area without paved streets, and that children ride bikes andplayin the area where the camp is being proposed.

The contractors on the new Stanton Hospital project Bird/Clark Stanton Joint Venture say they need to start building the camp next month. They told councillors that if theycan't get accommodations for out-of-town workers, the project is going to be in big trouble.

City council has fast-tracked their application.

A public hearing on the zoning change that would allow the work camp is scheduled for June 13.