Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / Eddie Gardner, a Chilliwack resident and member of Sqwá First Nation, takes part in a cleanup effort at Gill Bar Wednesday morning (Aug. 28) in Chilliwack. A homeless encampment at Gill Bar in Chilliwack was dismantled Wednesday, requiring multiple individuals and vehicles to haul away the garbage. The two people who set up camp are believed to have migrated there from the former Island 22 homeless camp near Fairfield Island.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Chilliwack homeless camp

Update: Homeless camp at Gill Bar in Chilliwack dismantled, with over 2,300 pounds of garbage removed

Aug 28, 2024 | 12:32 PM

UPDATE THURSDAY AT 10:25 A.M.: Anna-Lise Cooke, lands manager at Sqwá First Nation in Chilliwack, said two trailers full and two truckloads of materials were removed from the two-person encampment at Gill Bar Wednesday, with over 2,300 pounds of garbage removed.

Original story from Wednesday at 12:32 p.m. below: 

CHILLIWACK — A homeless camp at Gill Bar inhabited by two people believed to be formerly living at the former Island 22 encampment was dismantled Wednesday morning (Aug. 28).

Lina Azeez of the Watershed Watch Salmon Society said the non-profit society became aware of the two-person encampment about a week ago. The Sto:lo Research and Resource Center and members of the Gill Bar restoration project went out to check on the site and meet with the unhoused couple temporarily staying there.

“They shared they are in a difficult situation and agreed that Gill Bar wasn’t the right place to have set up,” Azeez said. “It was agreed that our team would come together and help to clean up the site at the earliest.”

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The groups involved in the Wednesday morning cleanup efforts included Pelolx Tribes (Cheam and Skwah), youth groups, Watershed Watch Salmon Society and some outreach workers to support the unhoused couple. It’s not known how long the two individuals were residing there, but Azeez said the encampment encroaches upon a sensitive area containing waterways and fish habitat, either on-site or downstream.

“It is our duty and responsibility as stewards and caretakers of the land and water to ensure we are doing our part to reduce contamination of the area for several reasons,” Azeez said. “We want to make sure the area is safe for those coming out to enjoy the natural beauty. We do not want anything getting washed into and down the Fraser River contaminating the waterways and impacting fish habitat on-site or downstream. We certainly don’t need more garbage being dumped into the oceans! This current issue speaks to both societal and environmental healing that needs to happen.”

Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / Piles and piles of debris and other household effects were located at a homeless encampment at Gill Bar. At least one trailer and one pickup were packed full of garbage as a result of the cleanup Wednesday morning.

Azeez said she sympathized with the plight of the unhoused young couple.

“It’s really unfortunate and sad that the young couple are unhoused – I do not know their circumstances – but compassion, kindness and respect are integral to supporting them,” she said. “These values need to be mirrored in how we treat the world around us. If they need support, I hope the right people are able to support them. Similarly, the Gill Bar team are the right people to support the Gill Bar area by making it clean and safe for both human and non-human animals to have access, be it for recreation or as habitat.”

Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / Cleanup volunteer Renee Marlatt (centre) and another volunteer work to clean up the remnants of a two-person homeless encampment at Gill Bar in Chilliwack.

Anna-Lise Cooke, lands manager at Sqwá First Nation in Chilliwack, said it was her understanding that the two unhoused individuals migrated to the site at Gill Bar from the Island 22 encampment when it was shut down.

The Island 22 encampment was shut down in January 2024.

Ross Aikenhead, a dedicated Chilliwack cleanup volunteer, said two dual axle dump trailer loads and one major full-sized pickup load removed garbage.

Cooke said over 2,300 pounds in garbage was removed Wednesday.