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Homes now have been provided or offered to everyone at the Victoria courthouse site who requested housing, and the encampment has been shut down, in accordance with Chief Justice Christopher Hinkson’s ruling.
On July 5, 2016, Hinkson ruled that the encampment on the Victoria courthouse lawn was unsafe for those living there and for the neighbouring residents and businesses, so the encampment must be closed. He ordered that as housing became available, and by not later than Aug. 8, 2016, the defendants should remove all structures, tents, etc. from the site.
The provincial government has provided housing to more than 300 people from the encampment, including more than 100 who recently moved into the former Central Care Home. In accordance with the chief justice’s order, the Province collected the names of all those at the site who were in need of housing and gave them the opportunity to move into housing at the former Central Care Home.
All those occupying the encampment have now left, and the site has been fenced off.
Quote:
Rich Coleman, Minister Responsible for Housing –
“We have now provided or offered housing to all those who needed it. We were able to bring this situation to a peaceful resolution, and now we can go in and start to clean up the site.”
Quick Facts:
- Last year, the Province invested approximately $32 million to provide subsidized housing and rent supplements for more than 5,100 Victoria households.
- The Province and the Capital Regional District recently entered into an agreement totalling $60 million that will create new affordable housing projects for people in need throughout the region.
- Since 2001, the B.C. government has invested $4.8 billion to provide affordable housing for low-income individuals, seniors and families.
- This year, more than 104,000 B.C. households will benefit from provincial social housing programs and services.
Learn More:
For more information about B.C. government housing investments in Victoria, please visit:
http://www.housingmattersbc.ca/docs/fs_Community-Victoria.pdf
