Saanich mayor says not much has changed in Regina Park tent city since they issued a notice to cease occupation last week, and the ministry of transportation issued a notice of unauthorised use yesterday.
Richard Atwell said at this time they're not allowed to actually remove the campers from the park.
“If we don’t get compliance from the people in the park we don’t have the ability to have our police department remove them because the activity is not criminal in nature,” Atwell said. “At this point in time all we can do is ticket people so what we will be doing is taking a next step that would empower us to remove people from the park during those daylight hours.”
Atwell said when they issued their notice last week there were about 85 people in the park and he does not believe that number has shrunk since.
Atwell said on July 18 the ministry of transportation issued their own notice to the campers.
“I don’t think many people are aware that the area of the park, part of it is owned by Saanich,” Atwell said. “But the highway side of the park, that right of way is owned by the ministry of transportation and infrastructure. They have independently put their notice forward to the occupants of the park, much in the same way we have, asking them to vacate the park.”
The ministry of transportation and infrastructure said in a statement overnight camping on the highway puts the campers and drivers at risk.
“The space along Highway 1 near Regina Park, is dedicated as a public highway and is under the control of the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure,” the statement said. “The safety and well-being of the campers and daily commuters is of the utmost importance. Overnight camping on busy highway lands pose dangers to campers and to cyclists and drivers using Highway 1.”