The ever-worsening conditions of a homeless encampment on the north end of Vernon has sparked frustration from members of council.

Coun. Kelly Fehr has requested help on getting the encampment (located on Highway 97, near the Swan Lake Nature Reserve) cleaned up.

乌鸦传媒淲e have a report from the BX fire chief (Bill Wacey), stating the area is actually a hazmat site due to the garbage,乌鸦传媒� said Fehr at the Monday, Nov. 6 council meeting. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 leaching into a natural bird sanctuary and he won乌鸦传媒檛 send his team in unless they have oxygen. I believe we need to take some more action and apply provincial pressure. Every 50 feet is a latrine, it is disgusting and I don乌鸦传媒檛 think we should be satisfied that we are doing everything that we can.乌鸦传媒�

The area of the encampment does not fall under the City of Vernon or RDNO乌鸦传媒檚 jurisdiction. Rather, it is in the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) area.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 clear who is supposed to be doing the cleaning, but they aren乌鸦传媒檛,乌鸦传媒� said Coun. Brian Guy. 乌鸦传媒淪o, I would sure like to take some initiative to push this forward with the MOTI as I think we need to pursue this.乌鸦传媒�

Patti Bridal, the city乌鸦传媒檚 chief administrative officer, explained that they have already done what they can to put pressure on the MOTI to cleanup.

乌鸦传媒淲e are in pretty much constant communication with MOTI. We have done extensive work with MOTI and the rail line, CP, to clean up that area and it takes lots of time to get them to do something. I think we are doing all that we can do in terms of the administrative side.乌鸦传媒�

Coun. Guy asked if the city could do something themselves, then send the bill to MOTI.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 unattractive and paints the city in a bad light and paints the picture that we don乌鸦传媒檛 care about our city. It乌鸦传媒檚 frustrating, we get negative feedback on it and we can乌鸦传媒檛 influence it.乌鸦传媒�

Coun. Mund countered that the city does go and clean it up 乌鸦传媒渋t is going to become ours and Vernon taxpayers are going to be paying for it.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淚 don乌鸦传媒檛 think it is a good idea. It乌鸦传媒檚 an issue for MOTI and they should be dealing with it.乌鸦传媒�

There is also another new encampment, set up in the back of Kal Tire Place, that Coun. Gares requested the city look into.

The RDNO乌鸦传媒檚 next meeting is on Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 4 p.m. where the topic will be discussed.

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