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Cranbrook, BC (June 11, 2024) – The Mayor’s Task Force on Homelessness, Community Safety and Wellbeing presented Council Monday night with an interim update that included a recommendation that Council support the idea of a monitored temporary outdoor living space on city property as phase one of a multi-phase housing plan.

In the interim update presented to Council Monday, the Task Force recommended the creation of a temporary Outdoor Living Space with standards and regulations. The potential use of a portion of the undeveloped City owned lands behind the industrial area, to the south of the developed Moir Park for this space may be considered by Council at an upcoming Council meeting. Any decision on the use of City land will be determined at a future Council meeting. 

In 2023, Cranbrook City Council adopted the no camping bylaw as the most appropriate measure for managing issues related to a growing unhoused population. This bylaw has proven to be an effective strategy for managing encampments and tackling temporary shelters being erected in inappropriate areas of the community.

However, while the bylaw helps address immediate concerns, there is an evolving understanding that one tool in the toolbox is no longer adequate to address what is a complex issue. To be effective in the long-term, additional tools are needed. It is this need for additional tools that the Task Force noted led them to identifying the need for a temporary outdoor living space. 

The current site, the undeveloped city land adjacent to Moir Park, presents challenges, but these challenges have shown to be more manageable, which decreases the impacts to the community, than when tents are present in more visible or populated areas of town.

The Task Force says it is relying on evidence that shows when people can meet their needs for hygiene, water, shelter, and connection in a supported common area, they will have less need to access surrounding businesses for washrooms and other resources. The wellbeing of those living unhoused goes up and the impact to the surrounding community goes down. 

The Mayor’s Task Force fully recognizes creating an initiative that includes people living in tents will never be a good plan. But in times of emergency and crisis any plan that improves the lives of people and minimizes negative impacts to community must be considered and is better than no plan.

The interim report presented to Council and the recommendations of the Mayor’s Task Force on Homelessness, Community Safety and Wellbeing can be reviewed online here - https://cranbrook.ca/our-city/mayor-and-council/committees/mayors-task-force-on-homelessness/.  

A townhall information session is scheduled for Wednesday, June 26, 2024 from 10am to 12pm, at the Dwelling Place at 2324 2nd Street South. Space is limited to about 100 people.