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LETTER: Squatters weren't invited

Where does the City of Abbotsford get off threatening private property owners with fines ...

Where does the City of Abbotsford get off threatening private property owners with fines ( Allwood Estates/Onni ) that they were in contravention of the city’s Good Neighbour Bylaw for not cleaning up squatter camps?

These property owners did not invite squatters to our community or give them permission to camp on this site. Permission was given to these squatter’s by city hall by not allowing the Abbotsford Police Department to deal with this problem at the start.

Every place you look in this city there is garbage from squatter camps and abandoned camps on city property.

Seems like the City of Abbotsford is in contravention of the city’s own Good Neighbour Bylaw. The courts ruled in favour of the city in regards to squatter camps and still nothing has changed. It’s time the Salvation Army, 5 and 2 Ministry, B.C./Yukon Drug Survivors and the out-of-town squatters quit dictating how this city is run.

You, Mayor Braun and your councillors were elected to oversee this community, not to cater to the above groups. Do what you were elected to do. We require responsible government to move forward.

If city council is unable or unwilling to make the hard decisions required to repair the damage caused to our residents, they should step aside. I’m sure the residents of Abbotsford do not wish to become Portland North.

C. Howard