BC Housing Minister Selina Robinson says there will be shelter beds for campers arranged by Monday -- in advance of a deadline for homeless tent city campers to be out of Goldstream park.
Robinson says 25 overnight shelter beds will be available at the Victoria Native Friendship Centre. There are more than 25 homeless campers, so Robinson says other efforts are underway as well:
" I've been actively working with the Victoria shelters, other shelters, as well as other housing providers in the south island, and identifying where we can free up some space -- where there are currently people in supportive housing who perhaps no longer need to be in supportive housing, and helping them to move into market housing, and creating some space."
Robinson maintains enough space has been created to accommodate the campers, and says many are excited about having a dry place to sleep, along with help packing up and storing their belongings.
But tent city organizer Chrissy Brett calls the beds "shelter mats." She is organizing a protest for Saturday outside the Goldstream park campsite gates to denounce what she calls "the NDP war on the poor" and vows to continue the fight for housing justice.
Any campers who refuse shelter, and do not vacate the park after the allotted 2 week stay on Tuesday, will face eviction.