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Gladys Avenue protest camp stays up as eviction deadline passes

City of Abbotsford has yet to apply for court injunction to force remaining campers to leave
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City bylaw officers met with members of the Gladys Avenue homeless protest camps on Wednesday

A deadline for the homeless protest camp on Gladys Avenue to move came and went Wednesday without any substantial action by residents or the city.

Last week, residents of the camp had been told to move from the site by Wednesday at 2 p.m. after the city adopted a new bylaw that permits overnight camping in most parks, but which designates the Gladys right-of-way as a “highway.”

Residents of a nearby encampment on city land between Gladys Avenue and Cyril Street were also reminded that they must take down their shelters during the day.

The protest camp on Gladys has shrunk in recent weeks, while the Cyril camp has grown. On Wednesday, several people were present at the Cyril camp, while there were few signs of people staying at the Gladys site.

Mayor Henry Braun has said that while the Gladys encampment is unsafe and must come down, the city will take a gradual approach and hopes to find housing for residents. Abbotsford has not yet applied for the court injunction that would precede any forced eviction of the site.