The current tent city in Nanaimo was set up on May 17, 2018. File photo.
The City of Nanaimo’s council has passed a motion requesting tent city occupants vacate the Port Drive property in 72 hours.
On Friday afternoon, the city released a statement saying that city council, at an in-camera meeting, passed a motion to issue trespass notices that request occupants vacate the area within 72 hours.
Nanaimo Mayor Bill McKay said the notices were delivered to the camp at around 4:45 p.m. on May 25 and to a local lawyer who represents some of the campers.
The city also said it is requesting the RCMP’s assistance with enforcing the Trespass Act. Those who fail to comply with the trespass notice could get a ticket.
If these actions are not effective, the city said it will seek a civil injunction in the Supreme Court of BC.
The tent city, known as Discontent City, is located at 1 Port Drive. It was set up on May 17 in an act of open defiance of city bylaws. It was the second tent city to be erected in downtown Nanaimo in recent months.
The first, in March, sprawled dozens of homeless people’s belongings on the grounds of Nanaimo City Hall. It was dismantled after 10 days when the city issued eviction notices and approved $350,000 in funding to help the homeless.
The occupants of the current tent city planned to stay until each homeless person in Nanaimo has a home.
According to the city, the occupants have been given areas within Nanaimo where they are allowed to have overnight shelter between 7 p.m. and 9 a.m.
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