The Abbotsford Homeless Crisis has taken many twists and turns and one of it’s major milestones occurs Monday Feb 17 when City council votes on the rezoning proposal by Abbotsford Community Services (ACS), BC Housing and the City of Abbotsford to build a small, low barrier Supportive Housing Project across the street from ACS on the edge of downtown Abbotsford’s protected C7 zoning are.

Mayor Banman has referred to homeless citizens with drug addiction issues as criminals who ought to locked up and has led the City on an ongoing battle of law suits with its own citizens over the issue.

The City obtained an injunction to forcibly remove homeless protesters from jubilee Park on Christmas Eve based on the City’s assurance to a BC Supreme Court Justice that Abbotsford has plenty of shelter opportunities for homeless people, blaming those who aren’t allowed or able to live in Abbotsford’s high barrier shelters for their own plight.

The growing number and size of the homeless camps along Gladys Avenue appears to contradict the Mayor and the City’s position as Abbotsford’s unhousable population collects across from the Mennonite Central Committee’s (MCC) new buildings. Two of those in what has been dubbed ‘MCC Dignity Village’ were forcibly removed from the MCC land in order to permit construction of the building to begin.

An eviction noticed still adorns the entrance to the Teepee at ‘MCC Dignity Village’ ordering the occupants off that property by January 2nd. The City has yet to act on the notice.

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