B.C. to move more than 1000 people from tent encampments into safer accommodations

British Columbia is looking to temporarily relocate over 1,000 people from tent encampments in Vancouver and Victoria to hotel and community centre accommodations to protect them from the ongoing pandemic.

Shane Simpson, Social Development and Poverty Reduction Minister, says 686 hotel and community centre accommodations in Vancouver and 324 hotel spaces in Victoria have been secured by the province.

Simpson says people will have their own living space and access to services, such as meals, laundry, washroom facilities, health-care services, addictions treatment and harm reduction, storage for personal belongings and other supports.

Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, has supported this transition by an order under the Emergency Program Act.

The order sets May 9 as the deadline to transition people out of
the encampments.