By Cheryl Jahn

Rustad vows to dismantle tent cities

Oct 7, 2024 | 3:38 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – It is a pretty quiet scene at Moccasin Flats, the remaining tent city in Prince George. There was a similar scene at First and George until that camp – Millenium Park – was dismantled by the City last year. And that is exactly what BC Conservative Leader John Rustad has promised to do if he forms government: Bring an end to tent cities “once and for all.”

“We look at these situations, the tent cities that we’ve seen crop up. We are seeing crime not just within tent cities, but beyond. Within the neighborhood, within the area. Drugs are commonplace throughout this. And occasionally we also have situations of violence.”

And that, he says, is what needs to change. But it’s not as easy as walking wholesale and removing the residents of places like Mocassin Flats.

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“What is the plan? Essentially, the tent cities are there for a reason, and for me, you really have to look at the dollars being spent on the supports,” says Prince George-Valemount NDP candidate Clay Pountney. “You know, we need houses. We need we need those supports for people to get off the streets. When you just go and cancel a tent city, what are the next steps?”

Earlier in the campaign, Rustad announced plans to look at involuntary treatment, initially for children who wind up addicted. It’s a stance that NPA Leader David Eby has since adopted. But Rustad told reporters he’s aware it’s not a simple matter, saying there to be options.

“Where we have people with addictions, we need to make sure that we provide the opportunity for people to get clean through detox and then to have the opportunity for supportive housing that is drug-free,” says Rustad. “And that’s key, in my opinion, these facilities that we build need to be drug-free and a zero tolerance.”

“We’ve built 200 social houses in the last two years,” counters Pountney. “Supports are still there. We can always do more. It is a challenging time and obviously, we’re in a global pandemic, there’s the opioid crisis and mental health crisis. There’s all these pieces that are working together. It’s very multifaceted and the approach has to be that way. So we need the supports in all these places to help these people transition back into housing where they belong.”

Rustad also announced his plans for enhancing public safety to counter what he calls the government’s catch-and-release approach to criminal justice.