The City of Victoria held a press conference Wednesday morning to reveal their stance on VicPD’s newly released strategy on removing camps from two locations in Victoria.
On Tuesday, August 6th, VicPD unveiled a three-stage plan to end encampments along Pandora Avenue and Ellice Street permanently through increased police presence and enforcement.
The first stage largely relies on increased presence in the areas to act as a deterrent to crime and to make arrests.
The second and third stages would have VicPD assist City of Victoria bylaw officers, BC Housing and Island Health in decampment and placement of displaced people in shelters.
Part of these last two stages involves taking down and impounding people’s tents, shelters and belongings.
This plan would cost the City a projected $79,550 in policing overtime for the nine weeks expected to have the encampments cleared.
Though the city council is now in their summer break and will not be returning to council chambers until September 5th, Mayor Marianne Alto held a press conference on Wednesday, August 7th to discuss the plan.
During the press conference, Alto spoke to the fact that VicPD’s plan is one facet of what the City is trying to accomplish in finding housing for those who are in encampments along Pandora Avenue and Ellice Street.
“I am supportive of that plan and I want to make sure that people understand that the City is working in collaboration with the police department,” said Mayor Alto.
“I want to thank the chief for stepping up and putting forward what he and his officers can to move forward with a comprehensive analysis of community safety in the city.”
Related:
- VicPD reveal $80K plan to permanently remove encampments from Pandora Avenue
- ‘Angry and upset’: City bylaw clear Pandora Avenue encampment in massive sweep
- Paramedics will now require police presence before providing medical aid on Pandora Avenue
Alto then pointed to the fact that the City is engaged currently with a number of partners, working on a community safety and wellbeing plan that will be presented in the fall when council goes back into session.
She added that the plans which will be presented in the fall will include immediate, medium and long-term solutions.
“We’ve made a decision as we have moved through the work over the last, almost a year, to look for any opportunities that we have to test the various potential new policies and actions and this is one of those,” said Alto regarding the VicPD plan.
Mayor Alto also noted that the City has no say in what VicPD does operationally, and this endeavour is their own, though she supports the plan.
In terms of what the City does to mitigate sheltering and services for those who are unhoused, Alto pointed to the work they have been doing with SOLID, who recently received funding from the City of Victoria to open a day services hub.
In her comments, Mayor Alto also spoke to the fact that the City has been put in a position where they must bear the brunt of providing adequate services to those who are unhoused, even though that is primarily a Provincial responsibility.
She says that she applauds the work that has been done on a provincial level in building housing and shelter spaces, but many of those projects won’t be completed for years to come.
“What we’re looking at here are symptoms of significant gaps in social services and health services and there’s no doubt, I think that everyone agrees, that the real answers here are providing adequate different types of housing—from shelter and emergency housing, to supportive housing, affordable housing—throughout the continuum of that service,” Mayor Alto said.
“At the same time there’s also no doubt that there’s a dramatic need for system change within the healthcare system.”
She says this includes not only emergency services, but all health services. Especially in the way that people without adequate housing are frequently released from healthcare facilities with nowhere to go and often end up sleeping rough upon release.
Mayor Alto noted that she is hopeful that the Province will continue to fund provisions for additional housing, sheltering and health services.
BC Housing’s point of view
The Province and BC Housing say they are committed to supporting the unhoused in Victoria, which includes those sheltering on Pandora Avenue and Ellice Street; however, they echo the City and VicPD’s sentiment that these encampments are not safe for those sheltering there.
“Encampments are not a safe or long term solution and are best resolved and prevented when all partners work together to carefully plan any actions that may displace or disconnect people, while offering people a pathway out of homelessness, which includes shelter, assessment and support to move to a range of housing options that best meet people’s needs,” said BC Housing.
“Outreach workers continue to connect with people sheltering outdoors on Pandora Avenue, Ellice Street and throughout the City of Victoria to ensure they are aware of available supports, shelters, drop-in services, and how to apply to the Province’s Supportive Housing Registry.”
BC Housing says there are currently 305 shelter spaces and 1,267 supportive housing units in operation in Victoria, but most of these are already at or near capacity.
Since the beginning of 2024, the following shelter spaces and supportive housing units have opened their doors:
- 30 units at Caledonia Place (formerly Tiny Town) to support people who have been staying in shelters long-term
- 30 shelter beds at St. John Divine Church, which was previously operating as a temporary emergency weather response shelter. Funding was extended and the site is now open nightly through until April 30th, 2026
- 56 units of supportive housing at The Lily on Balmoral Road were opened in June 2024
Additionally, 54 supportive housing units will be opening at the Crosstown Project located at 3020 Douglas Street in Fall 2024.
“We understand there is an immediate need for more shelter and supportive housing options on Pandora street and across Victoria and so efforts are currently underway to open additional shelter spaces in the near future,” said BC Housing.
They added that more information will be shared in the coming weeks regarding these developments.
