A homeless woman who had been living out of her tent at the Brennan Park campground was evicted Friday (June 22) morning for failure to pay rent, raising concerns about where transient people can stay in Squamish.
Erin Parker had been living in a non-designated campsite for one week before park staff asked her to move her tent to the proper campground on Thursday, June 21. However, when she was unable to pay the site rental fee she was asked to leave the location the next day.
"I just really don't know where I'm going to go now," said Parker.
Park staff, who said they were following district policy, contacted by-law enforcement and the RCMP who escorted her from the area.
Concerns were also raised about a large dagger that she had sticking in the ground in front of her tent that she said was there to intimidate people from trying to steal her possessions.
"She's a single woman, so it's just there for added protection, to scare people. She would never use it," said Ian Jonson, who is also homeless and living at the campground.
"She's a hard working woman who has three jobs and she just needs to find her feet and a place to stay," said Jonson. "There are a few of us like that around who are working but have no place to live."
According to Sea to Sky Community Services Society (SSCSS) there are approximately 50 homeless people in Squamish who use the food bank on a regular basis.
Jan Oberson, director of Outreach Services for SSCSS, said that they do have a program designed to help homeless people find a place to live.
"Through a provincially funded one year project SSCSS began the Income Assistance Outreach project to assist people in accessing income assistance and stable housing," said Oberson.
However, since both Parker and Jonson are employed they are likely ineligible for the program.
"Typically, the people accessing this program would not be employed as the primary goal of the program is to connect them to financial assistance and stable housing," said Oberson.
Both Oberson and Parker said that more affordable housing is needed to help get people off of the streets.
"Access to affordable housing seems to be the major barrier in Squamish for these people at this time," said Oberson."It's hard finding places which I can afford right now when I'm getting on my feet," added Parker.
