There is increasing concern about two growing homeless encampments off Highway 99 in Richmond.
The encampments are on both sides of the highway, and explosive growth is one concern, while an actual explosion is another.
“This encampment is right above the new jet fuel pipeline and there have been significant fires that have been set by the unsheltered population here,” Richmond city councillor Kash Heed told Global News.
The encampments are on Crown land and the responsibility lies with the B.C. government.
“We get no cooperation from them whatsoever,” Heed said.
“We actually get resistance from them on taking any action.”
Heed said axes, swords and machetes are among the dozens of weapons seized in the past year.
The city estimates there are more than 30 campers and trailers and the cleanup bill could exceed $200,000.
“How long have I been here? About a year and a half,” resident Guylaine Auclair told Global News.
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She claims to own four trailers and lives at the encampment with her many cats and kittens.
Auclair told Global News she has been offered a spot in modular housing, but with so much space, rent-free, she said she doesn’t need to leave.
“It’s so pretty,” she said.
“There’s like flowers everywhere… It’s like paradise.”
Minister of Transportation Mike Farnworth told Global News that they are aware of the frustrations.
“The people in these sites often have a variety of differing needs in terms of where they eventually end up,” he said.
A similar situation played out under the Oak Street Bridge late last year.
The City of Vancouver spent more than 40,000 taxpayer dollars clearing an encampment, all without provincial participation.
Heed said if these sites next to the highway are not dealt with soon, Richmond might take matters into its own hands again and send the provincial government the bill.
JV – Wow this JV imposter is even dumber than the last one hahahahaha. Yeah because Mike Farnsworth or should I say “Mike Fransworth” and his government are the direct cause of homelessness in Canada. What about all of the people that were homeless when Stephen Harper was prime Minister? I guess we’ll blame homelessness on the Conservatives from February 6, 2006, to November 4, 2015 🤣🤣
Miss. Auclair claims she owns 4 trailers, she likes not paying rent…she was given a place but turned it down
Get your head out of you know where Mike Franworth…these are not homeless people. They are enabled by you and your government and we the working class are paying for it over and over again.
Congrats to Kash Heed, bulldoze them out if there and call it a day.
Above a jet fuel pipeline?. Nice!!. Where can i drop a shovel and blowtorch
We have a recuring group that treats a side street by my work as their temp home for about 6 months at a time. They finally leave once the city rachets up enough pressure. They go somewhere else for a few months and then they come back. Each time they leave a massive amount of cleanup behind. Just sad that they cant be removed immediately. Many of them have jobs that they go to everyday but still live like animals with no regard for garbage or waste disposal.
The hard truth is these people would rather live on your money than work.
I had a mentally challenged Aunt, that worked for 35 years. I repetitive job, that she could manage.
She needed a little health care as a senior, but had well paid her tax dollars towards it over her lifetime.
The free rides must stop
Many people have been rehoused but the hard truth is there will always be people that don’t want to pay rent or live with rules and they are allowed to do it by this NDP government. Why are these people allowed to camp wherever they decide and cause fire and health risks not to mention the cost of cleaning up after them.
“ She claims to own four trailers and lives at the encampment with her many cats and kittens.”
Sums it up really.
Most of these dirt bags would rather defalcate in the woods than pay rent.
@ Surrey Fleetwood, if you live in Surrey, I find your comment hard to believe. A city where shootings are a daily occurrence, not if it was the last place on earth would I live there.
Then move them!!!! Yes, it is as simple as that.
Don’t turn to the Needles,Drugs and Poverty Party for help.They are the enablers
as all the east Indians live in new houses provided by the liberal government
Clear them out and give the NDP Government the bill. They have proven to be completely useless in the past like on Oak Street. This is embarrassing for all levels of government.
Clear them out before more people die
We don’t have problems like this in our area. Crime free..no homeless camps. Police regularly patrol the neighbourhood. Choose where you live .
Clear these sqatters out. If the general public cant camp for free, why should they.