The City of Castlegar is weighing whether to maintain or expand its response to homeless encampments.
City staff provided council with a report outlining the city’s legal threshold for responding to encampments, as well as an overview of current supports and services.
The report was prepared in response to community safety concerns surrounding encampments in the city.
“This report is in response to some of the correspondence received by council at the end of 2025 in terms of some of the conflicts being experienced between residents and some of the encampments in and around the community,” said Director of Community Safety and Development Meeri Durand.
Staff visited several known encampment sites in the city in November.
At the time, staff identified and visited six sites within city limits, two of which were being used overnight and one during the day.
Durand noted that an additional site was brought to the city’s attention after the report was prepared and was not visited by staff.
The city estimates about 27 people in Castlegar lack shelter, though that number tends to fluctuate seasonally as people move between communities to access services in Nelson and Trail.
Durand said the city’s response to people who lack adequate shelter options is constrained by legislation and human rights obligations.
“At a legislative level and a human rights level, the city is quite restricted in our response when it comes to those that lack adequate shelter options. We are not able to relocate or evict residents of encampments.”
Canadian law generally prohibits the closure or relocation of encampments unless viable shelter alternatives exist or a site has been deemed unsafe.
The report emphasized a Housing First approach, noting that emergency shelters do not provide the day-to-day housing stability required to support wellness.
It added that local governments lack consistent revenue tools to fund housing and social services and rely instead on provincial, federal and community partners.
Durand outlined actions already taken by the city, including annual funding for encampment cleanups, fire safety education, outreach services and the granting of temporary use permits for an emergency shelter.
“The city has used a variety of tools over the last several years to provide support both to residents of those encampments and proximate properties,” said Durand.
“Our fire department and emergency personnel continue to provide support and education when it comes to safe campfires and just recently council approved funding for continued street outreach programming. So we are following best practice used elsewhere across the province and Canada.”
Councillor Cherryl MacLeod raised concerns about wording in the report describing encampments as “survival spaces when better options are not available.”
“It’s not like there isn’t spaces available. It’s that there’s spaces that they’re not willing to participate in. That’s kind of an interesting line in my mind because that puts the onus back on us,” said MacLeod.
“It makes it sound like we’re not providing them with a place. But I know that there’s been people in those encampments that have been offered other places to be and to stay, and they’ve chosen not to.”
Durand responded that availability does not always mean suitability.
“It’s not necessarily that spaces aren’t available. It’s the appropriateness of that space for the individual’s specific needs,” she said, noting gaps in supportive housing regionwide and income levels that fall well below average local rents.
Councillor Sue Heaton-Sherstobitoff said the city is doing what it can within its authority.
“It’s a hard thing because in reality, this is a provincial and federal issue. It’s not a municipal issue, but it’s becoming more and more like that. Everything is being downloaded onto city,” said Heaton-Sherstobitoff.
“We have been doing lots for people. And I agree, some people are not going to stay in a shelter. They just don’t feel safe and until we have adequate housing and costs for housing for everybody, we’re never going to solve this issue.”
Mayor Maria McFaddin echoed Heaton-Sherstobitoff’s comments and warned against the city taking on responsibilities beyond its authority.
“I think we do have to stay the course. I think it’s a very slippery slope if we try and start taking on responsibilities that aren’t ours.”
Council did not direct staff to expand services but will consider next steps during future budget discussions.
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