Bears have become a frequent visitor to an encampment near the Parksville weigh station and nearby residents are concerned for their safety, especially for children waiting at a bus stop close by.
The encampment, close to Chattel Road, has been an ongoing issue for more than two years, according to Colleen Alderliesten.
Residents noticed bears rooting through garbage and other attractants at the camp a few weeks ago.
鈥淥ur neighbourhood has seen lots of bear activity all of a sudden and there鈥檚 a children鈥檚 bus stop within like 100 metres from this encampment," said Alderliesten.
People come and go in the encampment over time, she added, pitching tents and parking RVs in the wooded area close to the road.
Alderliesten said she has complained to the Regional District of Nanaimo and the Ministry of Transportation and Transit for two years, but nothing has been done.
According to Tina Mercier, bylaw services manager with the RDN, the location is not within the regional district's jurisdiction and is owned by MOTT.
"Given the complexity that encampment issues pose, the RDN has started a co-ordinated response working group, which has identified this location recently," Mercier told the PQB News. "The co-ordinated response working group consists of RDN bylaw, RCMP, MOTT and community social service providers including streetreach and community integration specialists."
MOTT staff are monitoring the site to ensure there are no safety concerns for travellers or people staying in the encampment, according to a statement provided to the PQB News.
MOTT also works closely with the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, which leads the provincial government's response to encampments and partners with local governments, outreach organizations and other agencies.
"Provincial outreach workers have been connecting with individuals living at the encampment," the statement said. "Supports offered are specific to each person and may include help with access to income assistance supports, application to supportive housing, referrals to health services, referrals to community resources for food and clothing, or crisis support."
Residents have done garbage cleanups over the past two years, to reduce the fire risk, according to Lehann Wallace, RDN Area G director. Lately, people are reluctant to do so, with all the bear activity, Alderliesten added.
"This is exactly what the adjacent River's Edge Community has been trying to prevent 鈥� bears and vulnerable people caught in a dangerous situation beside a park meant to protect wildlife, not serve as an unmanaged, unmitigated encampment," Wallace said. "We feel stuck in a multi-jurisdictional whack-a-mole while the forest fire danger keeps getting worse year after year. It鈥檚 past time for co-ordinated action."
Oceanside RCMP received two complaints about the camp in May, according to Sgt. Shane Worth. Unless people are committing a criminal offence, police officers generally tell the campers to move along, he added. RCMP also engage with bylaw officers and other agencies such as MOTT to discourage future camping.
Residents like Alderliesten want the government to put up barriers to prevent RVs and campers from entering, and place 鈥楴o overnight camping鈥� signs.
鈥淭hey have to do something, it鈥檚 just getting worse every year,鈥� she said.
In late April, local outreach workers connected with homeless individuals as part of the provincial Point in Time Count, according to Susanna Newton, executive director of the Society of Organized Services. In previous years, the count results have been released by the provincial government in August.
The 2021 count identified 103 people experiencing homelessness, up from 87 people in 2021.
MOTT is aware of the concerns about bear activity and says wildlife concerns should be reported directly to the Conservation Officer Service through the RAPP (Report All Poachers and Polluters) line at 1-877-952-7277 or online at gov.bc.ca/RAPP.
