Cranbrook, B.C., considers no-camping bylaw to manage homeless encampments on public land

A city in southeastern B.C. is considering a no-camping bylaw that would allow for tents and temporary structures on public land to be taken down during the day. 

The City of Cranbrook voted Monday on the third reading of a bylaw that aims to regulate the number of tent encampments and temporary structures on city land. 

"The goal is that we will bring these 30 encampments down to a reasonable number," Paul Heywood, Cranbrook's building and bylaw manager, said at Monday's council meeting. 

He says that the model, which is based off of similar ones in Vernon and Squamish, aims to provide guidance and regulations with regards to tent encampments and temporary structures.

The proposed new bylaw states that camping is not allowed in spaces such as designated city parks and recreational areas, or within the vicinity of government buildings and creeks. It also allows bylaw officers to ask people to take their tents down from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

"This proposed bylaw will guide the community going forward regarding how the city and its operations will manage homeless camps," the City said in a press release. 

A statement from the city says a guiding piece of case law states that homeless camps can be taken down during the day and re-established at night, but only during the summer months. 

It also says B.C. courts allow cities to designate no-camping zones, but cities are also required to allow areas within city limits for vulnerable people to take shelter. 

The city already cleans up encampment sites at a cost of around $6,500 per week, Heywood said. 

"We literally haul away a trailer the length of [council chambers] and remove the stuff that they're gathering on a daily basis," he said.

Bridging the gap

The city recently hired Marcel Germer as a full-time social development coordinator.

She works with people experiencing homelessness and addiction, city bylaw, and social service groups to help bridge the gap between the city and its most vulnerable residents. 

"[I'm] just trying to figure out what's happening in Cranbrook, what everybody's doing already that's working and successful, and where we may have some gaps," said Germer. 

She says the bylaw was created as a tool that the city can use when needed and they won't necessarily be asking people to take their tents down every day. 

"We're more or less out there every morning, with bylaw, to clean up, create safety, talk to everybody, connecting them to resources if they need it or want it, making sure people are safe," Germer said. 

"It's a great tool to have should we need it."

Concerns raised by community group

Polly Sutherland of ANKORS East Kootenay, a social service organization that provides harm reduction and outreach services, praised the city for its collaborative efforts, but also voiced concerns about the proposed bylaw. 

"There has been a great shift with the city to start to address these issues, and they've really been engaging with the non-profits here," said Sutherland.

"But my concern is that this bylaw will erode that trust they are working to build, and that it will further polarize the issue again."

She says there is a high concentration of contaminated drugs circulating throughout Cranbrook with high counts of benzodiazepine. 

"These drugs are leaving people exhausted, nodding out for extended periods of time," said Sutherland. "If they can't even pack up their backpacks, how are they going to pack up their whole home? These tents are their homes." 

 Cranbrook City Council will vote on adoption of the bylaw at an upcoming meeting.