VICTORIA — The British Columbia government says fire, crime and sanitary conditions at a homeless camp outside the courthouse in Victoria have degenerated since March when the province originally applied for a court injunction to shut it down.
The government returned to B.C. Supreme Court today for the second time seeking an interim injunction to start evicting more than 100 people who have been living in tents on the courthouse lawn since the fall.
Crown lawyer Warren Milman says fire risks remain at the camp since a fire commissioner's report warned it was only a matter of time before a serious fire occurred.
Milman says the fire dangers include crowded pathways, tarp-covered tents and the storage of combustible materials.
He says the government is concerned about fire dangers and is prepared to accept a phased dismantling of the camp once the fire dangers are removed.
Milman says the government will have housing ready for every camper by Aug. 8.
