City Crest

By Cheryl Jahn

Moccasin Flats

New temporary shelter location gets initial nod

Mar 9, 2026 | 10:54 PM

PRINCE GEORGE- Council has set the wheels in motion to have the City’s Parks and Open Spaces bylaw tweaked to significantly reduce the area in which overnight sheltering is allowed.

As per a court ruling by Justice Hinkson in 2021, the area of Lower Patricia Boulevard that came to be called Moccasin Flats was designated as the City’s temporary overnight shelter location until such time as suitable housing was found for residents of that site. At its peak, there 70 structured shelters in that location. The site is currently 7,449 square metres in size.

Since then, just over 150 shelter beds has been sourced, leaving roughly fifty people still in need to shelter, as per the most recent Time in Point count. That count identified 204 people who were experiencing absolutely homelessness. That number fluctuates, predominantly with weather; warmer weather tends to see the numbers rise.

With that in mind, Administration is suggested the bylaw restricting where overnight sheltering is allowed be reduced to the easterly-most end of the existing site, with the existing site as overflow.

But there were plenty of questions from Council, particularly about the overflow portion of the recommendation.

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“What’s to stop a repeat of what we had?” asked Councillor Brian Skakun. “What kind of comfort can we give residents?”

But the Director of Administrative Services, Eric Depenau noted that, with the courts findings subsequent to the Hinkson ruling, the City’s Bylaws Department has the wherewithal to enforce the bylaw which disallows camps in anywhere but a designated location.

“If they set up anywhere else, they will be redirected [by Bylaws staff] to the temporary overnight shelter location.”

“Municipalities are not set up for this,” argued Councillor Kyle Sampson who urged the removal of the overflow potion of the proposed amendment. “Just because we’re a regional hub, we shouldn’t have to carry this burden.”

He went so far as to suggest an amendment to that effect and that the City send a bill to the province for any costs incurred with overflow shelter clean ups.

“They’re never gonna pay because they’re broke, but they need to know what they’re costing municipalities.”

“This is something we have to do,” noted Mayor Simon Yu, adding without a designated area, camping will happen anywhere in the City.

The bylaw passed first three readings and awaits fourth and final.