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Outrageous. Here we go again.
Many of you may not be familiar with the ongoing controlled movements of people experiencing homelessness in #Victoria.
Hereâs a quick synopsis for you.
#bcpoli https://twitter.com/dave_eby/status/1354587548455104513
Many of you may not be familiar with the ongoing controlled movements of people experiencing homelessness in #Victoria.
Hereâs a quick synopsis for you.
#bcpoli https://twitter.com/dave_eby/status/1354587548455104513
At the onset of the pandemic, with essential services closing/reducing capacity, those experiencing homelessness were directed to camp either at Topaz Park or the Pandora corridor.
At one point there were 200+ tents at Topaz. People in either of the encampments were neglected.
At one point there were 200+ tents at Topaz. People in either of the encampments were neglected.
Many of us saw the harms that were generated from #COVID19 restrictions. We saw the indifference our decision-makers felt about people who were homeless. It took:
7 days for clean water
17 days for showers
>35 days for laundry
Worst of all was the changing drug supply.
7 days for clean water17 days for showers>35 days for laundryWorst of all was the changing drug supply.
Amidst fears of the global pandemic was the very clear and present danger of the #overdose crisis. Or should I say the mass poisoning crisis.
We called on decision-makers to offer housing, urgently, as the risk was rising exponentially for people camping in the park.
We called on decision-makers to offer housing, urgently, as the risk was rising exponentially for people camping in the park.
Unfortunately, those who could help acted too late.
We lost people in both sites, in a short amount of timeâcheque week in April to be specific.
I canât stop thinking about the people who are no longer with us.
The ones we promised not to leave behind. https://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/two-men-found-dead-at-topaz-park-site-of-encampment-for-homeless-1.24122720
We lost people in both sites, in a short amount of timeâcheque week in April to be specific.
I canât stop thinking about the people who are no longer with us.
The ones we promised not to leave behind. https://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/two-men-found-dead-at-topaz-park-site-of-encampment-for-homeless-1.24122720
After these preventable deaths, and a wave of negative press, the @CityOfVictoria moved to relocate campers to various hotel sites, and the Save on Foods arena. Sound familiar?
This process was also disjointed, poorly planned, and resulted in harms. https://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/op-ed/comment-having-a-home-is-a-basic-human-right-1.24202005
This process was also disjointed, poorly planned, and resulted in harms. https://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/op-ed/comment-having-a-home-is-a-basic-human-right-1.24202005
Meanwhile a number of people experiencing homelessness continued to survive in other parks, because they never got an offer to go to a hotel.
Or they didnât qualify.
Or they were evicted from the hotels.
Or they just seemed to be overlooked/ignored. https://twitter.com/beaconhillfolks/status/1350588602447663104
Or they didnât qualify.
Or they were evicted from the hotels.
Or they just seemed to be overlooked/ignored. https://twitter.com/beaconhillfolks/status/1350588602447663104
But as people were moved into hotels and the pandemic lulled between wave 1 and wave 2, the arena was âdecampedâ. Some were given shelter/housing options. Others were left to camp at Central Park. One block from the police station.
Then the park flooded. https://www.google.ca/amp/s/beta.ctvnews.ca/local/vancouver-island/2020/12/29/1_5247595.html
Then the park flooded. https://www.google.ca/amp/s/beta.ctvnews.ca/local/vancouver-island/2020/12/29/1_5247595.html
In the absence of a viable emergency weather protocol, the city of #Victoria once again shuffled people to a new location. This time it was a parking lot.
An outdoor parking lot. In winter. During a global pandemic.
Many once again called out for better, more humane options.
https://twitter.com/coreyranger/status/1341546669825880065
An outdoor parking lot. In winter. During a global pandemic.
Many once again called out for better, more humane options.
https://twitter.com/coreyranger/status/1341546669825880065
But that didnât happen. And another tragic, preventable death occurred.
The cycle of indifferences ravages on.
So the arena shelter has opened again. And anyone who heralds this as a success needs to re-examine whatâs transpired in the last 10 months. https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cheknews.ca/hes-loved-calls-to-reopen-arena-shelter-grow-after-victoria-homeless-man-found-dead-738090/%3famp
The cycle of indifferences ravages on.
So the arena shelter has opened again. And anyone who heralds this as a success needs to re-examine whatâs transpired in the last 10 months. https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cheknews.ca/hes-loved-calls-to-reopen-arena-shelter-grow-after-victoria-homeless-man-found-dead-738090/%3famp
Months of trauma and apathy directed towards those made most vulnerable by an oppressive system.
We are not in this together.
FYI there is a national protocol for homeless encampments in #Canada.
Itâs those in power choosing not to follow it.
https://www.make-the-shift.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/A-National-Protocol-for-Homeless-Encampments-in-Canada.pdf
We are not in this together.
FYI there is a national protocol for homeless encampments in #Canada.
Itâs those in power choosing not to follow it.
https://www.make-the-shift.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/A-National-Protocol-for-Homeless-Encampments-in-Canada.pdf
