By Catherine Hansen

Camp numbers spike

Number of homeless camps dismantled up

May 23, 2019 | 1:32 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Just meters off Queensway close to the Highway 97 South on ramp lies an abandoned homeless camp. CKPG news was led there by a concerned citizen who wants to remain unnamed. Full of drug paraphernalia, wallets, identification and sports equipment, camps like this are becoming more frequent.

This time last year 76 such camps had been dismantled, while this year a total of 253 have come down. Fred Crittenden, Manager of Bylaw Services with the City of Prince George says those numbers could be attributed to the recent hire of two dedicated Bylaw officers for the downtown core and Gateway areas.

Once the camps are dismantled, its typically up to the city to clean up the mess, depending on the location. Crittenden says he’s seen instances where loaders and forklifts have been brought in to deal with the debris.

RCMP Corporal Craig Douglass warns residents not to take matters into their own hands when approaching those living in outdoor camps, and to report them to Bylaw Services at the City.

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