Saanich residents should hope it doesn’t snow heavily this winter because money set aside to clear roads is about to get eaten up on policing tenters at Regina Park.
When they meet Monday, councillors will face a recommendation that the municipality’s $700,000 contingency fund, typically used to cover costs of unforeseen weather events such as heavy snowfalls, should instead cover police costs associated with the encampment at Regina Park.
Saanich police are projecting extra costs will range from $600,000 to $700,000, says a finance department report for councillors.
The Regina Park encampment began in early May as a protest against a lack of affordable housing. It has transformed into an encampment of 88 residents and an ongoing problem zone.
Saanich police say their workload in the area has ballooned. From May 1 to Thursday calls to police were at 507, versus 294 during the same time in 2017. Property crime exploded to 90 incidents from 35 in 2017.
The report estimates the final tally for tending to the tenters might reach as high as $950,000. This includes $250,000 to operate a yet-to-be-built sanitary station, with toilets and showers, and at least $10,000 to serve other calls from neighbouring residents.
In case Saanich gets hit with heavy snow or other unforeseen weather events or emergencies in 2018, the report assured councillors that options would be presented later to ensure the municipality operates deficit-free.
Saanich Coun. Colin Plant said the municipality has other areas in the budget that could provide relief for emergencies or if the Regina Park encampment continues.
But Plant said he doubts the encampment will remain much longer. “I’m optimistic we will have some solutions sooner rather than later. I can’t imagine we will still be dealing with this at the end of the year.”
A long-term solution is social housing, but location is an obstacle. “I don’t think anybody is opposed to [social housing] in principle,” Plant said. “But when you ask: ‘How about putting it in your neighbourhood?’ it becomes much more difficult.”
A suggestion that the former Emily Carr library branch at 3521 Blanshard St., not far from Regina Park, be used for social housing is being met with reactions of horror from neighbours.
Victoria Shannon, president of Hansbraun Investments, owners of neighbouring Saanich Plaza and Munro Centre, said her company has been asking for years to buy the property, which is valued at up to $4 million.
Shannon said she has suggested Saanich taxpayers would be best served by selling the library property and using the money to come up with a long-term, sustainable solution to the encampment and housing issues.
Customers and people who work in nearby properties are complaining of intimidation and fear since the encampment sprang up.
Shannon said various parking lots nearby are attracting all sorts of threatening people, many of whom are carrying weapons or hypodermic needles.
“They are already migrating there [to the parkades],” she said. “It’s a property with covered parkades and little alcoves offering shelter and privacy.
“In the old days, we could just ask people to leave,” Shannon said. “Now our staff don’t even feel safe enough to approach because they get ganged up on.”
