Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / Chilliwack RCMP says calls for service in the area surrounding the former Island 22 homeless camp have nearly dried up since the decampment of the Cartmell Road property occurred in January 2024. Previously, police said the 130 people associated with the now-dismantled camp accounted for 734 total files in the UFVRD in 2023, and were linked to 903 total police files in the Lower Mainland in 2023. 

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Island 22 encampment

Chilliwack RCMP says calls for service in Island 22 area are almost nil since removal of homeless camp

May 22, 2024 | 9:15 AM

CHILLIWACK — While there were a few people who ardently defended the Island 22 homeless camp where scores of people squatted unlawfully on privately owned land on Cartmell Road, saying these residents had nowhere else to go, the Chilliwack RCMP has a slightly different perspective.

According to brief remarks made by Upper Fraser Valley RCMP Superintendent Davy Lee at Tuesday’s Chilliwack City Council meeting, calls for service to the Chilliwack RCMP have almost disappeared since the decampment of the Island 22 homeless camp occurred at the end of January and start of February 2024.

According to statistics released in March 2024 by the Upper Fraser Valley Regional Detachment in Chilliwack, police say the 130 people associated with the now-dismantled camp accounted for 734 total files in the UFVRD, and were linked to 903 total police files in the Lower Mainland.

Supt. Lee appeared before council Tuesday (May 21) to say calls for service have basically dried up in the immediate area surrounding the former encampment at 45645 Cartmell Road.

“You may recall in my previous presentation that I had reported there had been a significant increase in calls for service in the area surrounding the Island 22 encampment,” Supt. Lee said. “Since the decampment, the calls are almost nil.”

Severe thunderstorm warning

Updated: Severe thunderstorm warning downgraded to 'severe thunderstorm watch' Saturday

2h ago

Boating fatality

Update: Body of Dewdney man located

6h ago

Search and rescue incident in Mission

Search and rescue operation underway in Mission; 1 person missing as of Friday night

21h ago

Chilliwack Fire Department and Chilliwack RCMP were called out to the Island 22 homeless encampment on multiple occasions, meaning it wasn’t just an unsightly mess where squatters lived unlawfully. For example, in 2022, there were nine reported crimes against persons at the encampment. That number doubled to 19 in 2023, not to mention there were at least five fires at the homeless camp in 2023 that required a response from firefighters.

Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / A burned out trailer at the former Island 22 homeless camp on Cartmell Road in Chilliwack.

While property crime incidents remained roughly the same year over year (26 in 2023 versus 23 in 2022), other Criminal Code offences nearly tripled from 11 in 2022 to 31 in 2023. These constitute cause disturbances, weapons calls and breach of conditions.

The number of “other occurrences” nearly doubled in 2023 compared to 2022, increasing from 58 to 120 year over year. These “other” offences are defined as suspicious occurrences, well-being checks, traffic files, shots fired, missing persons cases, and bylaw incidents.

An eviction notice was posted outside of the Island 22 homeless encampment on Cartmell Road in December 2023, advising residents there that they could be charged with an offence if they continued to unlawfully occupy privately owned lands governed by a First Nation in Chilliwack. The lands located at Skway Indian Reserve No. 5 are private lands owned and governed by Shxwha:y Village. The Island 22 residents were ordered to leave the property by January 31 or face possible arrest. Chilliwack RCMP vehicles attended during the final days of the encampment.