Months after the local homeless camp in Maple Ridge was shut down due to fire concerns and other safety issues, residents say new fire fears are being sparked - by a growing number of homeless encampments cropping up in the city's residential areas.

Earlier this month the housing minister slammed Maple Ridge's own proposed housing plan as "unworkable."

Métis Nation-Saskatchewan announced Thursday that Derek Langan has been removed from the position of housing minister.

"A critical piece of it is to get in and talk to people in the community."

Fences are up and debris is being hauled away from the now-vacant homeless camp outside Victoria's courthouse, but British Columbia's housing minister says the cleanup will be long and costly.

Canada's housing minister says he and his provincial and territorial counterparts are working toward the country's first national housing strategy in four decades.