City of Prince George to dismantle homeless encampment

The City of Prince George says it will begin dismantling a long-standing homeless encampment after a B.C. Supreme Court judge approved the move and ruled the city had taken steps to shelter unhoused people.

Prince George had gone to court twice before to close the encampment on lands the city owns, but was previously told that residents must be allowed to stay due to unsuitable housing and daytime facilities for unhoused people in the city.

The city was told in 2022 that it had breached a court order and inflicted “serious harm on vulnerable people” by dismantling much of the encampment, believing it was abandoned after helping some residents find accommodations.

The latest ruling, issued last week, says the city changed course after the 2022 court loss, and the province, the B.C. Housing Management Commission and the city have “since made significant investments to create new housing and shelter for unhoused people in Prince George.”

The court ruling says that after a new supportive housing facility adjacent to the encampment opened in January, the city returned to court to enforce its bylaws and close the camp.

The city says in a statement that although the court authorized an immediate closure of the site on Lower Patricia Blvd., it was awaiting BC Housing to connect around 20 residents with housing, after which they’ll have seven days to leave.