Homeless amid the rich

Photo: The Canadian Press

Chrissy Brett at the Oak Bay homeless camp in Victoria, Wednesday.

A nomadic group of homeless people has chosen one of Canada's wealthiest communities to pitch tents and draw attention to housing shortages for disadvantaged people across British Columbia.

The latest location for the wandering group of 15 people is Willows Park, a seaside recreation area in the Victoria suburb of Oak Bay, known for its tea rooms, elderly population and turn-of-century mansions worth millions.

Homeless camp spokeswoman Chrissy Brett said the campers arrived Wednesday after taking down their tents at the District of Oak Bay's municipal hall. She said the campers spent seven nights on municipal property.

"Every municipality should look at currently having a municipal campground available," she said. "This is more comfortable here than wandering the streets."

Brett spoke as a pelting rain with gusting winds threatened to lift her tent from its supports, while large waves crashed upon the nearby beach.

"The government needs to recognize Canadian citizens who are homeless," she said. "In Canada, you're a fourth-world person in a first-world country if you are Indigenous or homeless."

Brett said the group has camped in various Victoria-area communities for the past seven weeks, moving every seven days. She said the group spent three weeks at different locations in Victoria, two weeks in nearby Saanich and will be in Oak Bay for at least two weeks.

Oak Bay's deputy police chief said the community is well aware of the campers and police have been on the watch, but so far it has been peaceful.

Ray Bernoties said Oak Bay's bylaws do not permit overnight camping in municipal parks, but since the campers have said they'll move within seven days police will wait and watch the situation.

"We're constantly reassessing and we'll continue to do that and in the meantime we're monitoring and liaising on a regular basis as we are with the neighbours," he said. "So far there have been no violent incidents, no property damage. There have been no noise complaints. At this time I'm inclined to wait them out and hope they keep their word."