City and province point fingers as encampment outside Coquitlam homeless shelter cleaned up

The city moved in to clear an encampment outside a homeless shelter, but the province says not enough is being done to set up supportive housing.

Almost as soon as the homeless shelter at 3030 Gordon Ave. in Coquitlam opened its doors, people began living in tents outside. The encampment has grown over the years, and the city says it’s become a hazard to residents and the neighbouring businesses.

“We have had close to 30 fires break out, including some residents that have very unfortunately been injured,” said Coquitlam Coun. Matt Djonlic.

On Thursday morning, bylaw officers accompanied by RCMP moved in to clean up the camp, removing propane tanks and other combustable materials in preparation for a deep clean of the area, which has become a biohazard.

“This is not at all about removing tents, taking residents’ personal possessions,” Djonlic said. “This is about safety for the unhoused residents who are there, as well as the larger community.”

The province says the encampment outside the Gordon Avenue shelter is proof there aren’t enough supportive housing units in the region, and it blames local government.

“On several occasions, I’ve met with leadership of the Tri-Cities to say, ‘We have dollars, we will put the dollars in place if you identify a site that you have that you will zone to allow this type of housing,’” said Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon.

“We are ready to move. And every time we’ve raised that issue, we’ve heard, ‘Somebody else should do it.’”

Djonlic insists the city isn’t blocking more supportive housing in Coquitlam.

“This idea of simply, ‘Give us city land.’ It’s a lot more complex than what the minister, I think, is making it out to be,” he said.

“Where would that be? Where does that make sense? And again, I remind the minister, we have done exactly that, and we are being met with challenges outside 3030 Gordon. We cannot have another case of a shelter like this where we are having encampments outside,” Djonlic said.

The CEO of a medical clinic near the Gordon Avenue shelter has pleaded with the city to do something about the encampment.

”Our concern is to have safe environments for our patients, for our staff,” said Arash Boloori of MedRay Imaging.

“We have had many issues for our patients and staff.”

He says there have been broken windows, human feces and dead bodies outside the clinic, and he’s been forced to spend tens of thousands of dollars in security to keep staff and patients safe.

“I think those concerns are valid, and it’s exactly where we run into instances where neighborhoods push back,” said Djonlic. “And we are seeing now other local governments who are pointing to 3030 Gordon and saying, ‘Look how it doesn’t work in Coquitlam, that’s why we aren’t going to offer it in our communities.’”

The councillor wants to see a commitment for more wraparound supports from the province before another shelter is opened in Coquitlam, but the housing minister insists nothing can happen without a parcel of land from the city.

“Many communities are stepping forward with locations, but Tri-Cities is one of the more frustrating areas in the province right now where there is a significant need, but we just cannot find the locations to get this housing on the ground,” said Kahlon.

After the cleanup is complete, Djonlic knows most – if not all – of the people who had tents outside the Gordon Avenue shelter will return, and they won’t be forced to leave.

“They don’t have elsewhere to go,” he said.

Maggie Moudatsos is one of them. She’s split her time between the shelter and the encampment outside for the past three years.

“We are not here to be slobs, we are not here to interfere, but where are we supposed to go?” she said. “I’m on disability. Who will rent to me? And for how much?”

For her, and a handful of other entrenched residents, the encampment is home.