Island Health has issued a Hazard Abatement and Prevention Order to the City of Nanaimo for the tent city location. File photo.
The City of Nanaimo said it will be asking Island Health to reconsider a hazard abatement and prevention order that would require the city to provide potable water, toilet facilities and hand sanitizing stations to the tent city location.
The city said Island Health issued the order on Thursday with respect to the tent city at 1 Port Drive. According to the city, the order requires the city to provide a free flow of potable water, additional portable toilet facilities and associated maintenance and hand sanitizing stations near the portable toilet facilities by July 10. The city will also have to continue to provide solid waste service.
Dr. Paul Hasselback, the medical health officer for central Vancouver Island, has stated that there are “reasonable and probable grounds to believe that conditions exist that present a significant risk of causing a health hazard.”
In a statement issued Friday, the city said it has always maintained Nanaimo’s tent city, known as “Discontent City,” has always maintained that the encampment is an illegal trespass and unsafe occupation. The city did issue a notice to vacate to the tent city occupants on May 25. Then on June 25, the city requested that court expedite the civil injunction proceedings filed by the city on an urgent basis due to fire and other safety concerns.
The request was denied and a hearing has been set for the week of July 16.
The city said since that request, there has been a stabbing, an overdose and a fire. A provincial fire order was issued by the local assitant to the fire commissioner on May 30 but the city said Tent City occupants have not complied.
Now, the City of Nanaimo said if the Island Health order stands, they will be required to fund it.
“Island Health has the authority to issue an evacuation order to the trespassers to remedy the health and safety concerns caused by the occupation of land not zoned or equipped for permanent or overnight accommodation. However, they issued a Hazard Abatement and Prevention Order,” the statement read.
“The city has a statutory right to ask the medical health officer to reconsider his decision and will be using the appropriate legal channels to make this request.”
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