Vancouver police confirm some tents, structures and debris were removed from a section of Hastings Street in downtown Vancouver Tuesday.
Police say four officers were present to maintain order and public safety while city workers removed the tents and spoke to people camping in the area between 122 and 142 East Hastings Street.
Vancouver Fire Chief Karen Fry told Global News firefighters are called to that area of Hastings Street almost every day.
She said their position continues to be that any tent outside of a building is a fire risk to the building, its occupants, the occupants of the tent and all responders.
In a written statement, the City of Vancouver said its engineering staff were in the neighbourhood “encouraging the voluntary removal of structures” to comply with its bylaws and previous orders from Fry to address fire safety concerns on the strip.
“Following three weeks of daily verbal and written notification to have material removed, with the final warning having been issued yesterday, engineering staff impounded material at locations on East Hastings St as the people occupying the sidewalk were encroaching on public space and doorways, creating a fire hazard and making it difficult for pedestrians and others with mobility issues to travel safely through that section of sidewalk,” the statement reads.
“The individuals impacted were offered storage and shelter options prior to impoundment.”
Engineering staff issued a final warning at another site on Tuesday and will engage with the affected individuals next week, the municipality added.
“Items that have not yet been voluntarily removed will impounded. The City’s policy is that any impounded items will be stored for 30 days as per the By-law and will be given information on how to have wanted items returned.”
The municipality said it’s working with BC Housing to “rapidly” provide more indoor spaces to those in need and encourages those sheltering outdoors to access a warming centre as temperatures continue to drop.
Late Tuesday, the Pivot Legal Society issues a statement slamming the move, which it pointed out came as the city was receiving its first significant snowfall of the year.
“There is no adequate winter housing plan in place,” the group said.
“The latest EWR Activation update shows a small number of emergency weather options, but mostly only for overnight spaces which are closed until 9 p.m. and evict people by 7 a.m.. Also, these spaces will be evicted when weather conditions “improve” which includes temperatures rising above a completely arbitrary 0 or –5 °C.”
The group went on to call enforcement of the city’s Street and Traffic bylaw “constitutionally suspect,” adding that there was “active litigation” underway over Fry’s fire safety order.
The number of tents and built structures on Hastings Street grew quickly in early summer when Vancouver police stopped accompanying city workers conducting controversial so-called “street sweeps” in the area.
In late July, Fry ordered the removal of structures from the area, warning of a “catastrophic” fire safety risk, but efforts by the city to clear the sidewalks quickly stalled, with provincial officials saying there was little to no housing available.
A few weeks ago, Premier David Eby said that under his leadership the province would take on the role of co-ordinating services in the DTES, and that the first step would be to implement a plan to address the tent city that has become entrenched along the Hastings Street stretch.
“I don’t support encampments,” Eby said. “I don’t think they are a solution to homelessness. I don’t think they are safe for people who live in them. I have seen too many fires, too many people have died in them.”
Last week, Eby announced he would appoint the first standalone housing minister to add more focus to the NDP’s government’s plan to deliver more affordable housing to the province.
This came one day after the government tabled two pieces of legislation aimed at working with municipal governments to build homes and increase rental properties by relaxing restrictions at apartment and condominium complexes.
— with files from Simon Little