Cleanup work took place Tuesday (Jan. 14) at the Peardonville Road encampment in Abbotsford.
Work crews, including an excavator, were on hand to clear away garbage, but none of the occupants were being asked to leave. They were given prior notice about the cleanup.
The land, located in the area of South Fraser Way and Peardonville Road, is owned by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
A previous cleanup of the site was done in December by about 50 people from the street community. The project was organized by the Business Engagement and Ambassador Program.
Other local camps on ministry land include ones at Whatcom Road and Cole Road.
A spokesperson with the ministry said there will be ongoing cleanups of the Peardonville camp, as well as other ones along Highway 1 "to improve safety and cleanliness."
"Everyone deserves a safe place to live, with access to the services they need," he said.
"While encampments may offer a sense of community for some people, they are not a safe or suitable form of long-term shelter and create significant risks for people’s well-being."
He said the ministry is working closely with the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs to address the encampments.
As well, the spokesperson said the province’s Homeless Encampment Action Response Team program, outreach workers, and community partners have been connecting with people in the camps "to ensure they are aware of available supports, shelters, drop-in services, and how to apply to the province’s Supportive Housing Registry."
There are currently 206 shelters beds and 199 supportive housing units in Abbotsford, including at the Lonzo Shelter, the Sumas Shelter and the Bob Sutton Centre.
Two more shelters are underway – at 2509 Pauline St. and at 2539 Montvue Ave. – and are expected to open in the next six months, adding a combined 52 new shelter beds.
A large encampment at the Bradner Road rest stop was cleared away last year to make way for the Highway 1 expansion project.
Another one on Lonzo Road was dismantled in 2023.
The city recently said there are currently some 40 homeless camps across the city, including one at city hall.
That camp has been considerably reduced in size over the last few weeks, but some tents remain on site.
