To help with housing problems resulting from the pandemic, the District is proposing a reduction of camping fees at the municipal campground for people who are receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit or income assistance.
There would be a 50% reduction, making the price about $13.25 a night — about $400 a month.
Natasha Golbeck, the municipality's senior director of community services, said in these cases, only monthly rentals will be allowed so weekend visitors aren't tempted to use the service.
That way, the campground, located next to Brennan Park, will be able to help out local long-term residents who've been pushed into precarious housing situations as a result of the pandemic, Golbeck said.
The proposed program requires that campers show proof of assistance at the time of booking.
"This year, the volume of vehicle camping did increase quite suddenly upon the impact of the pandemic — it's always high but it happened quite suddenly and was more concentrated this year," she said, during council's meeting on June 16.
Golbeck said that there has been an influx of vanlifers in Squamish, as people from the Lower Mainland have lost their jobs due to COVID-19. They gave up or lost their housing and opted to live in their vehicles.
"[They] opted to live in vehicles in Squamish until the economy recovered, so we are seeing an influx related to the pandemic," she said.
Asked if the plan could be creating an incentive for out-of-towners to camp in Squamish for months at a time Golbeck said it's possible, but the benefits of moving people from unauthorized areas to campgrounds with facilities outweigh the risks.
The municipality was light on camping bylaw enforcement during spring due to COVID-19 and the economic hardship it posed, but operations are getting back close to normal.
There have been congregations of campers in urban areas, which pose a public health hazard, especially given the lack of sanitation in those locations, she said.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry noted this poses a risk for disease transmission, Golbeck said, so to address this issue, the municipal campground will be open soon.
"Local governments have an important role to play to support people experiencing homelessness to reduce health risks and to improve access to essential services, supplies and supports," wrote Henry to municipalities across B.C. on June 8.
Golbeck said once campground is open and the subsidized rates are in place, municipal bylaw officers and RCMP will inform urban campers or vanlifers, and regular enforcement of traffic and camping bylaws will then begin.
As of last year, vanlifing or camping has been banned in the estuary around the Spit and the Mamquam River Forest Service Road.
Traffic and camping bylaws also prohibit people from living in their vehicles on streets and parks.
“There are still a number of details to work out, should council amend the Fees and Charges bylaw and endorse this program officially. More details will be available in the next couple of weeks as plans become more formalized,” Golbeck said.
