Fraser Valley homeless encampment closed off, cleaned up

“Over the past several days, the Ministry of Transportation and Transit has completed the cleanup of the encampment located near Whatcom Road,” Sgt. Walker said. “This work was both necessary and long overdue to help improve the safety, security, and overall condition of the area. The Abbotsford Police Department is pleased to see the site restored to its intended state. Maintaining safe and accessible public spaces is important for both residents and visitors, and we appreciate the efforts undertaken to address the concerns that had developed at this location.”

The cleanup efforts come after the Abbotsford Police Department and the City of Abbotsford urged the province to take immediate steps to remediate the encampment just off Highway 1.

Sgt. Walker said the encampment had been entrenched for several years and grown in size over time. After a homicide earlier this year and a number of significant fires at the site, the current encampment population declined largely due to the increasingly uninhabitable conditions. As of September 10, 2026, he estimated fewer than 10 people lived there.

As of Sept. 10, Sgt. Walker said the ongoing encampment had a detrimental impact on nearby Eagle Mountain and East Abbotsford residents, the travelling public and nearly businesses, which include a Tim Hortons, Petro Canada, A&W, and other retail outlets.

“Common concerns relate to public safety, the deteriorated condition of the site, and the impact the encampment is having on neighbouring businesses and the surrounding community,” Sgt. Walker said on Sept. 10. “Police continue to respond to calls for service both within the encampment and in the surrounding area where issues are connected to activity originating from the site. Abbotsford Police continue to enforce criminal offences occurring at or around the encampment. However, because the property is provincially owned, municipal bylaws are not enforceable on the site. As a result, there is no municipal bylaw mechanism available to compel the property owner, in this case the Province, to address or remediate the conditions on the property.”

In a statement from the Ministry of Transportation and Transit last month, the province said it tried to remediate the camp through a number of measures.

“This is a challenging situation, but progress is being made. For example, last fall, provincial signage was removed to make it clear the site is no longer appropriate for public use and is not being maintained for that purpose,” the ministry wrote in a statement in September 2026. “Fencing has also been installed as a proactive measure to secure the area and help mitigate debris accumulation. In addition, Ministry of Transportation and Transit staff are currently arranging debris removal to improve site conditions over the coming weeks.”

The Ministry of Transportation and Transit said it continued to work closely with the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, the City of Abbotsford, law enforcement and community partners to develop short-term safety and security measures in the area while working to assess next steps for the longer term.

“The priority is ensuring people who need it have access to support, shelter and pathways into stable, long-term housing,” the province said. “The Province has successfully relocated many individuals sheltering at other ministry sites, including Cole Road in Abbotsford this spring.”

by Mike Vanden Bosch

Fraser Valley homeless encampment closed off, cleaned up

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