Senior City of Prince George officials believed they were “well within our authority” to remove shelters and belongings from the Lower Patricia encampment, on Nov. 17, 2021, despite an existing court order, internal emails show.
Emails obtained by The Citizen from BC Housing and the City of Prince George, through a Freedom of Information request, reveal what was happening behind the scenes at city hall on Nov. 17, 2021 and in the days that followed. “As of now, the majority of occupants have moved and most of the encampment is empty. There appears to be only two tent sites with remaining occupants ,” Davey wrote. “Some ‘Together We Stand’ supporters and the defendant’s legal counsel arrived on scene and appeared to be upset about this housing opportunity provided by BC Housing. City staff moved offsite to minimize any potential friction.”
That "ongoing legal appeal process" involved an October 25, 2021 court order instructing the City of Prince George to leave the location intact until suitable housing and daytime facilities were in place. MAYOR, COMMITTEE WANTED ANSWERS The City of Prince George’s communications department began receiving media inquires regarding the demolition starting on the morning of Nov. 17. Former mayor Lyn Hall was also getting questions from the city’s Select Committee on a Safe, Clean, and Inclusive Community, emails indicate.
“The only sites that were ‘bulldozed’ were sites that had been left behind by those who transitioned into housing,” Peters responded. “The rationale was to get rid of fire hazards and try and get some of it clean before everything froze to the ground. Also important to point out that some folks are choosing to stay in the camp and the city has not disturbed those sites at all.”