Last Day for Quinsam Road camp
Cortes Currents
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Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - Last Day for Quinsam Road camp
Friday, Oct 30th, was the last day for Quinsam Road camp in Campbell River. There were only three residents remaining and all left peacefully when the RCMP and Ministry of Natural Resources went up to clean the site.
“At one point, there was about twenty people living in four or five different camps,” said Cst. Maury Tyre.
During the five to six months months the property was occupied, the RCMP opened more than 50 case files: for theft, assault; fires.
Tyre added, “The biggest one was environmental issues, which probably why the Ministry of Natural Resources got involved - plus it is their property.”
Nunns Creek Park
Some of the people from Quinsam Park are now camping in in Nunn’s Creek Park, others have found different housing options.
In what some regard as the first step in establishing a right to housing in Canada, a 2015 BC Supreme Court ruling recognized that homeless people have right to sleep in public space.
Constable Tye explained, “That’s part of the reason you see tent cities in many cities. There is no allowance for permanent structures. In Campbell River, I believe they have said people have to have their tents taken down by 9:00 AM. The understanding being that it is still a public space and the rest of the public gets to use those areas. That’s the area that the city of Campbell River has allotted to people, if they do wish to camp.”
The homeless community
There are believed to be about 100 people ‘without permanent housing’ in Campbell River, and much smaller numbers on Quadra and Cortes Islands. Most are couch surfing, living with friends or sleeping in vehicles. A minority camp out.
Twenty are now temporarily housed in the former Rose Bowl restaurant, in Campbell River.