Fort St. John calls for repeal of Bill 45 amid rising encampment concerns and provincial contradictions

FORT ST. JOHN -- There are growing calls from the City of Fort St. John to abolish Bill 45, a legislative act that prevents municipalities from enacting bylaws to ban encampments.

Renewed momentum comes after ‘No Camping’ signs were installed outside the Provincial Court of British Columbia in the city.

“You can camp in any park, in any public properties that the city owns, but you can’t do it here because we’re a province of ‘do as we say, not as we do,” said Trevor Bolin, who says Fort St. John is at a breaking point.

Over the weekend, the long-time city councillor set up a tent and lawn chair outside the property in protest of the province’s contradiction to the rule, dedicating five hours to engage with residents about their concerns regarding homelessness.

Bolin is urging Premier David Eby to scrap the legislation and untie the hands of municipalities to allow for a community-based approach to public safety and the safety of unhoused residents living in encampments. He is also calling for more transparency on mandated mental health facilities to address the on-going crisis.

“It's going to take an entire plan from both top levels of the government to actually do something about it.”

Bolin has been advocating for a camping bylaw since 2023 but encountered resistance from the Human Rights Commission causing the bylaw to fall by the wayside.

“It's not even about the sign-- It's about a province and a ministry that won't do anything to help but will throw a sign of their own in in the ground and just say, not our problem, and wash their hands of it,” said Bolin.

Last month, The Committee on Housing and Emergency Shelter was approved by council to understand the root causes of homelessness, identify barriers to housing, and develop actionable solutions.

MLA Dan Davies supports Bolin’s stance, emphasizing the necessity for solutions that help individuals on their path to recovery.

“We need actual solutions: mental health supports, actual supportive housing that can deal with the deeper causes of the homeless issues, and get people back on a path to healing,” said Davies.

Bolin is now calling on residents to contact the Premier and demand explanations for the province’s restrictions on municipal powers.

“The province has to redo what's been broken, get the municipalities involved, and literally give us the ability to go in and clean up the encampments." said Bolin.