Victoria council scraps plan to shelter homeless in parking lots

Victoria city council has shot down a proposal from the mayor to create temporary sheltering for the region’s homeless population in some parking lots.

The motion from Marianne Alto centred around property tax exemptions that are being phased out for the parking lots of some non-profits and churches.

The proposal asked staff to craft a policy that would allow those groups to keep their tax exemptions if they allowed some temporary overnight sheltering for unhoused people in their parking lots.

1:51 Victoria police’s safety plan aimed at city hot spots

Councillors voted it down in a narrow 5-4 vote expressing concerns about uptake, feasibility, safety and community pushback.

Homelessness remains a critical issue in the city.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

A count last year identified more than 1,600 people experiencing homelessness throughout Greater Victoria.

Last month, the city announced plans to increase policing and work towards the end of the Pandora encampment, however, it conceded the plan was reliant on help from the province to find shelter for the people living in it.