The City of Kelowna used an excavator to move unclaimed belongings during major cleanup at the homeless encampment along the Okanagan Rail Trail, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023.

(GABRIELLE ADAMS / iNFOnews.ca)

A cleanup and reorganization is underway at the homeless camp along a section of the Okanagan Rail Trail in Kelowna and residents are protesting the City of Kelowna's methods.

The homeless people are being forced to move into smaller areas despite being told by officials they weren't going to get moved again.

Having to move into smaller areas, designated by lines spray-painted on the ground, means the people living in the camp have to pick and choose what possessions they'll keep. The rest of their property is being removed with the use of an excavator and dumped into a garbage container.

“It’s really hard because we were told we weren’t going to have to do this again and now we have to try to make all of our stuff fit into this (small area), but this is our home for now, you know, this is everything we have, and we’re going to have to put some of it in storage somewhere,” John said. He's living in the camp with his girlfriend Rose and their dog.

According to the latest count, 87 people live at the camp. Most live in tents and have access to a portable toilet. They don't have access to any other amenities and aren't permitted to have anything that's battery or gas-powered due to the fire hazard.

“We had a solar battery when we got here, but we had to get rid of it. Then we got a propane heater, but that wasn’t allowed. And now we have to get rid of our gas generator. I just bought an electric shower, but I can’t use any of it,” John said.

Homeless people living in a city encampment along the Okanagan Rail Trail in Kelowna are trying to fit all their belongings into a small area while crews cleanup the area, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023.

(GABRIELLE ADAMS / iNFOnews.ca)

He also pointed out when they are moved, the bylaw officers rarely let them know what their rights are.

John, Rose and their dog have been at the camp for three months after they were evicted from their apartment and are struggling to find an apartment they can afford. John continues to work despite being homeless.

“This is a regular clean up and the people sheltering there have been informed about this for weeks,” Tom Wilson with the City of Kelowna said.

John and Rose, as well as Sylvia a regular volunteer at the camp, can all confirm there's nothing usual about this cleanup.

There's usually no heavy equipment used and no space restrictions for the tents, they said, adding this week's cleanup is forcing people to move fast and get rid of the little belongings they have.

While John and Rose were told they weren’t going to have to move again, it's usual to see the city move the homeless from one side of the trail to the other approximately once a month.

City crews have been at the encampment since yesterday, Oct. 3, and will be there until the move and cleanup is complete.

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