Brett Van Bergen, Drug War Survivors (DWS) coordinator and advocate at Abbotsford’s city hall encampment refuted the city’s claim that an individual requested their belongings be removed from the camp while hospitalized on Wednesday, Mar. 26. Aletta Vanderheyden, Communications and Public Relations manager of the City of Abbotsford and Van Bergen shared their concerns and insight with The Cascade.
Van Bergen said that two by-law officers threatened to have him detained by police on-site after not allowing the hospitalized individual’s belongings to be taken to the city’s operations yard. After further consultation, the police told Van Bergen they would come back at another time.
Vanderheyden explained that the city was following an unnamed individual’s request.
“On Wednesday morning the City’s by-law officers were advised that an individual wanted his belongings removed and secured off-site as he was anxious about leaving them at the encampment while he was in hospital.”
Van Bergen called it peculiar that neither of the by-law officers communicated the individual’s request to have their belongings stored during their conversation earlier that morning.
“We talked for about 15 minutes that morning with me questioning, but no mention of this important piece of info. When I spoke to the [hospitalized] person, they were angered that by-law wanted to store their belongings and were quite adamant that they didn’t want them taken away.”
In compliance with the Matsqui-Abbotsford Impact Society v. Abbotsford court ruling from October 2024, Section x, the city must:
“Avoid dismantling shelters when residents are absent, unless there is clear evidence of abandonment.”
If a site is dismantled or abandoned, individuals are prohibited from returning to the camp, which is the only designated camping area for people experiencing homelessness in Abbotsford. Fewer than 10 tents remain occupied after the year-long encampment; Vanderheyden said all individuals have “repeatedly” been offered shelter by BC Housing.
Vanderheyden explained that the city received new information later that day that ultimately led to the individual’s belongings not being taken to the by-law yard.
“Later that afternoon, by-law Services was advised that contrary to what was communicated earlier in the day, the individual would like his belongings to stay at the encampment. Because of this, the individual’s belongings remain at the site.”
Sergeant Paul Walker of the Abbotsford Police Department (AbbyPD) confirmed that officers were on the scene that morning in a peacekeeping role, and that no one was detained or arrested.
Van Bergen recounts that the by-law officers were “clearly” not acting lawfully in their assessment of the situation. He suggested that had a compassionate police officer not been on-site, the situation could have played out very differently.
The DWS coordinator claims that a police officer on-site agreed with him that there were limited grounds to remove the individual’s belongings, but would ultimately need to follow the orders of by-law enforcement.
“If I wasn’t lucky, and we didn’t have a cop that was going to listen, this person would have lost their spot or camp, their things would have been taken, and I would have been detained. And we shouldn’t be relying on a single cop being in a good mood that day to make sure that the law is being followed.”
Vanderheyden stated that for the time being, the city will work alongside BC Housing “to meet the housing, healthcare, and harm reduction requirements set out in the court order.” Meanwhile the City has been granted approval from the court to move forward with an appeal of that same decision. They previously applied for an immediate pause of the court order, but were turned down.
DWS continues to protest for the designation of legal camping space for Abbotsford’s unhoused.
Interviews have been edited for length and clarity.
