A group called Together We Stand believes the proposed Safe Streets bylaw will continue to punish our homeless population.
A gathering and live stream of next week’s council meeting (28th) will be located at the current encampment on 5th and Ottawa.
The first three readings of the bylaw were passed recently to help combat aggressive panhandling, temporary shelters, graffiti, and open drug use.
Organizer, Gerry Healy told MyPGNow.com some of our most vulnerable need a leg up.
“If they are struggling to be where they are at and they are in a community where they are going to be fined, let’s try and help them find a place and where they can be safe, happy, and belong.”
The first three readings of a second bylaw, set to create a fining system, was also passed a move Healy believes will be counter-productive for those living on the street.
“I don’t see how they can justify them fining them. They should spend more of their energy resolving the issue instead of further damaging their hope.”
“The matter with city hall and their bylaws department are to take care of the city and I understand that. I took upon myself and the group as well to defend these people because they are struggling in a place where it’s hard for them to be heard.”
Healy lived on the streets for many years in the city and would like to offer more guidance to council and stakeholders.
“I would like them to become more aware of their struggles and why they are actually there. People don’t decide to become homeless, things happen in their life that drive them out of their living situation and into a dangerous, dark place.”
“I kind of understand their struggle. Not really having a place to be and a place to call home really drives down your hope and morale.”
According to the city, Bylaw Services stated calls for service have increased drastically over the past four years.
In 2017, Bylaw got 149 calls for issues like tents, open drug use, and human waste while in 2020, saw those calls rise to 1,796.
However, Healy is of the opinion service calls have trended downward since the tent city location was put up.
“I think the city’s decisions are based solely on the numbers provided to them for the service calls to bylaw and the RCMP. I was told by a number of people that the service calls have decreased once tent city was established near the courthouse on 3rd and George.”
In addition, Healy mentioned the 5th and Ottawa encampment has led to a lot of violent feedback from one of the neighborhoods.
“They are not safe there. People are throwing rocks, shooting bee-bee guns, fireworks, and bear bangers at them. It’s really bad.”
Advocacy groups like Community Partners Addressing Homelessness believes the city would have been better off keeping the “George Street Tent City” instead of offering eviction notices – calling the proposed Safe Streets Bylaw a “band-aid” solution.
However, Mayor Lyn Hall does have some concerns based on what has transpired in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.
“We have seen it at Strathcona, Oppenheimer, Beacon Hill, and other communities in the Interior who have had tent cities. I have a concern about the health and safety of the folks in the tent cities. We just heard the other night of a loaded handgun that was found so it’s things like that, which concern me.”
Hall pointed out the proposed bylaw can still be modified between the third and final reading before being fully adopted.
In March, a proposal to deliver an additional 50 safe and supportive homes for people experiencing homelessness in Prince George is currently in the works between the provincial government and the city.
The new homes are proposed for 855 1st Avenue – the same block where plans are underway to build a project that will include 50 affordable rental homes, 50 supportive homes, and on-site healthcare services.
BC Housing would select an experienced non-profit service provider to manage the building with staff on-site 24/7 to provide wraparound supports, including meal programs, life skills training, and health and wellness support services.
Together We Stand has issued several calls to action including a declaration that PG’s housing crisis is an emergency as well as the creation of a long-term plan that ensures all homeless people have appropriate housing by the New Year when the Lheidli T’enneh flag is raised again.
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