Just as the tent city did in downtown Victoria, an encampment is pushing Saanich to find ways to solve the homelessness puzzle.
The latest tally counted 88 campers at Regina Park, just off the Trans-Canada Highway near Uptown shopping centre. On Monday, Saanich council voted to shift $700,000 to the police budget to cover added costs of policing the area.
From May 1 to Thursday, police responded to 507 calls in the area, versus 294 during the same time in 2017. Property-crime complaints rose to 90 incidents from 35.
While police can’t ignore those calls, it’s clear that dollars spent on police officers are dollars that aren’t being spent fixing the underlying problem.
Housing is the obvious solution, but projects under the region’s housing strategy are a couple of years away. No one wants the camp to continue that long.
One suggestion is to convert the former Emily Carr library branch at 3521 Blanshard St., which is not far from Regina Park. B.C. Housing is reportedly interested in helping out, and a renovation would be quicker than waiting for new construction. Another option would be to tear down the building and use the site for modular housing.
Nearby businesses are opposed, as they say they are seeing more people in the nearby parkades, who have been intimidating customers and staff. They worry about what a housing project would bring.
Until the camp went up, Saanich had largely escaped an issue that has been in Victoria’s face for several years. Long-term plans are in the works, but a more immediate solution is needed.
