Mike Farnworth
Minister of Transportation and Transit
Government of British Columbia

Mike.Farnworth.MLA@leg.bc.ca.,  

Brad Vis

Member of Parliament for Mission-Matsqui-Abbotsford 

Brad.Vis@parl.gc.ca   

Subject: A Call for a Permanent Provincial Solution to Homeless Encampments on Crown Land

On behalf of polite Canadians, I am writing to ask the Government of British Columbia to take immediate action to address the unresolved problem of homeless encampments on provincial Crown land, particularly along highways and provincial rest areas.

The situation in Abbotsford demonstrates why the current system is not working. For approximately three years, the Whatcom Road and Cole Road areas became unauthorized homeless encampments on provincial land. What began as provincial rest areas eventually became sites with tents, RVs, garbage, human waste, fires, vandalism, theft, threats, stabbings, a shooting, and other serious safety concerns.

While the residents repeatedly raised concerns, the City of Abbotsford was largely unable to resolve the situation because the land was under provincial jurisdiction and municipal bylaws did not apply.  The Whatcom Road site is an especially serious example. It reportedly generated more than 200 police calls in the past year, including incidents of theft, stabbing, and a fatal shooting on March 23, 2026. There were also reports of fires and other safety incidents. The Cole Road site was associated with numerous police incidents, including fires, threats, and assaults.

No community should have to wait years for a dangerous situation on public land to be addressed.

We recognize that homelessness is a complex issue. People living in these encampments may be dealing with poverty, mental health challenges, addiction, trauma, or a lack of affordable housing. They deserve dignity, compassion, and access to appropriate housing and support services.

At the same time, residents, businesses, highway users and the people living in the encampments themselves deserve safe, clean and properly managed public spaces.

This is not an argument for simply moving people from one location to another. If people are removed from one encampment without appropriate housing and support, there is a significant risk that new encampments will appear elsewhere. The province therefore needs a coordinated, long-term solution.

Polite Canada respectfully asks your ministry and the Government of British Columbia to consider the following actions:

1. Establish clear provincial responsibility for Crown-land encampments. Municipalities should not be left powerless when a serious public safety, sanitation or environmental problem occurs on provincial land.
2. Create a rapid-response Crown land encampment program. The province should be able to respond to unauthorized encampments, remove garbage and hazardous materials, restore sites and prevent them from becoming long-term settlements before waiting for months.
3. Create a formal provincial-municipal response protocol. Municipalities such as Abbotsford should have a clear point of contact and a defined process for escalating safety, sanitation and environmental concerns on Crown land.
4. Use existing provincial funding more effectively. Where funds have already been allocated for abandoned encampment cleanup but remain unspent, the province should make those resources available quickly to qualified municipalities, regional districts and community organizations that can carry out the work.
5. Develop housing-first alternatives before closing encampments. People living on Crown land should be connected with stable housing, shelters, supportive housing and other services wherever possible. The Lonzo Road partnership between BC Housing and the City of Abbotsford demonstrates how provincial and municipal cooperation can turn a difficult Crown-land situation into a constructive housing solution.
6. Protect provincial highway rest areas for their intended purpose. Rest areas are important for truck drivers, travellers and highway safety. They should not become long-term residential areas because there is no alternative system in place.
7. Establish accountability and measurable timelines. When residents report an unsafe or unsanitary encampment on Crown land, they should receive a clear response explaining which agency is responsible, what action will be taken and when.

The recent closure of the Cole Road encampment and the province’s move toward closing the Whatcom Road site were positive steps; however, seeing Whatcom Road active again is a huge disappointment. We welcome these actions; however, they should be viewed as the beginning of a solution rather than the end.

The City of Abbotsford has reportedly spent approximately $30,000 on cleanup efforts connected to these encampments, despite the land being provincial. That situation raises an important question: Why should municipal taxpayers carry the financial burden when the underlying responsibility rests with the province?

More importantly, what happens after these sites are closed?

British Columbians deserve better.

Polite Canada believes that protecting public spaces and supporting vulnerable people are not competing goals. We can do both. We can treat people experiencing homelessness with compassion while also protecting the safety, health and dignity of the wider community.

The experience in Abbotsford has shown us the cost of waiting. Residents should not have to organize repeated protests and appeals for years before government agencies act. Municipalities should not be placed in a position where they are expected to solve a problem on land they do not control. And people experiencing homelessness should not be left in unsafe conditions without a pathway to stable housing.

We respectfully ask your government to provide leadership and establish a permanent solution before the same situation develops in another British Columbia community. To begin with, please share a timeline to when the Whatcom Road situation will be handled. 

We deserve better, not only for the people living in our communities, but for every British Columbian who deserves a safe, clean, and respectful place to live.

Sincerely,

Polite Canada
Promoting kindness, respect, responsibility and stronger communities in Canada