Town hall meeting
Thank you to everyone who attended the Community Safety Town Hall on May 28 at the Prince George Conference and Civic Centre.
We heard so many great questions, ideas, and valuable feedback from more than 200 community members. In total, there were over 40 questions and comments answered during the session, 38 feedback forms received, and a number of emails.
Over the next few weeks, we will answer the frequently asked questions that we didn't get to answer at the meeting and upload them to this webpage. Subscribe to become a Super Citizen to get project updates and stay in the know about future engagement opportunities on our website or by filling out the form below.
What we heard
On June 11, Council met to go over the feedback received and identify actionable items. On June 24, a report outlining a phased approach to better manage the encampment was endorsed by Council. The phased approach consists of:
- Phase One: Build Capacity
- Current efforts focus on building community capacity to provide suitable daytime facilities and low-barrier housing while managing health and safety issues at the Lower Patricia Boulevard Encampment (LPBE) and downtown. Find information available BC Housing spaces here.
- Phase Two: Demonstrate Capacity and Alternatives
- The City plans to approach the British Columbia Supreme Court as early as Q4 2024 to demonstrate that conditions are appropriate for transitioning the LPBE site to other forms of housing.
- Phase Three: Transition to Other Forms of Housing
- Beginning as early as Q1 2025, the City, working with partners, plans to transition the entrenched LPBE to other forms of sheltering, supported by new facilities and designated outdoor sheltering locations.
- Phase Four: Maintain Capacity and Prevent Entrenchment
- The City will continue working with partners to address new needs and prevent any campsites from becoming entrenched.
Additional actions include:
- Encampment Boundary Delineation:
- Boundaries will be physically marked with fencing and signage to help bring clarity to the space and deter individuals from illegal dumping.
- Reinvigoration of the Community Safety Hub:
- Coordination efforts among partner agencies will be enhanced.
- Increased Cleanup Efforts:
- Ongoing cleanup efforts will continue to improve conditions at the LPBE. This week, clean-up efforts continued to improve congestion with remediation of burnt sites.
- Overnight Sheltering Model Exploration:
- Staff will review sites for Council consideration where temporary overnight sheltering may be suitable within the city.
- Timelines and Goals for Transitional Shelter Facility (TSF):
- The TSF construction is anticipated to be completed by fall 2024, marking the transition to Phase Two. BC Housing confirmed that site preparation work is now complete and the modular units are in the process of being installed by ATCO Structures and Logistics Ltd. Over the coming weeks, there will be construction activity at this site between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., seven days a week.
