Penticton mayor and newly elected MLA in war of words over homeless encampment
Penticton-Summerland Conservative MLA Amelia Boultbee had some harsh words for the City of Penticton over its actions to deal with a homeless encampment, and the mayor isn’t pleased.
The homeless encampment at Fairview Road and Highway 97 next to Ellis Creek is a hot button issue and Boultbee criticized how the city is handling it after she was allegedly left in the dark until a meeting with the city’s staff on May 23.
“The City of Penticton cut out their elected MLA for six whole months and in that time what happened? The encampment quadrupled in size and is now ‘too dangerous’ for (Penticton Indian Band) guardians to go there. The day before yesterday I was asked to attend a meeting with the city. It was termed ‘an emergency’ and the word ‘crisis’ was used,” Boultbee wrote in a statement on social media, May 25.
She said she had received no communication with the city about the camp since January, but if she had been informed about it she could have done more before it grew.
Before she was elected in the last provincial election, Boultbee was a Penticton city councillor. BC Conservative leader John Rustad directed her to speak out about the problems at the homeless encampment even if it meant speaking against the city.
“I spoke to John Rustad and he agrees that my obligations to taxpayers exceeds my reluctance to 'step on the toes' of a mayor and council who conspicuously refuse to work with their elected MLA on any topic, hurting their own constituents,” Boultbee wrote.
Today, May 26, Mayor Julius Bloomfield responded to Boultbee’s criticism.
“I was surprised to see MLA Amelia Boultbee disclose details from a confidential briefing, not an emergency meeting,” Bloomfield said in the statement. “The encampment land in question is under provincial authority, and MLA Boultbee could have freely advocated on this issue in Victoria at her discretion. We’ve been steadfast in our commitment to action – even if it appears slow.”
READ MORE: City, band working with the province to deal with Penticton homeless camp
The City of Penticton and the Penticton Indian Band issued a press release on May 13 about the plan to deal with the encampment.
The provincial HEART and HEARTH programs are stepping in to provide more robust outreach and service connections, funding for a temporary winter shelter, transitional housing options and environmental clean up and restoration resources.
Authorities said the plan is to connect homeless people with appropriate services, protect the environment, restore the encampment area, protect the public and reduce the impact of homelessness on tourism and the economy.
The band said the land is unsurrendered sylix Nation Territory and used to be reserve land.
In the 1950s, the land was appropriated by the federal government and then transferred to the province in 1955 for flood control and infrastructure.
The land was supposed to revert to reserve status but the government never followed through. Since the provincial government still owns the land, it's responsible.
Boultbee said Rustad is going to bring up the homeless encampment with Premier David Eby later this week.
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