B.C. Fire Commissioner allows Victoria tent city to stay

B.C.'s fire commissioner has cancelledan order to dismantle the controversial homeless camp on the provincial courthouse lawn in Victoria.

"The fire commissioner's decision is based solely on decreased fire safety risk," said the B.C. Housing Ministry in a written statement.

"He expects that efforts continue to be made to bring the site into full compliance with the previous orders."

The Housing Ministry said the fire commissioner will continue inspections and the province continues to find housing for people at the site.

Last month theprovinceapplied for an injunction to forcibly close the tent citybecause the site wasn'tin compliance with two fire safety orders issued in February and May.

• Victoria homeless camp injunction sought after fire hazard inspection

The inspection report by fire commissioner Bob Cooper warned oflife-threatening dangers at thehomeless campand said there hadbeen a serious deterioration of safety conditions since his inspection earlier in May.

A ministry spokesperson said the province is still awaiting the judge's ruling onthe injunction.

It's not the first time the province hassought an injunction to remove the camp. It tried in Aprilbut was unsuccessful. However, the provincewas allowed to go back to courtif it feltsafety and security had deteriorated.

Residents at the camp hadfired back against the commissioner's destruction order, saying the measure was excessive and unreasonable.

The tent city, home to about 100 mostly-homeless campers, sprang up in the fall, and neighbours, the province, VicPD and fire officials have reported increasing concerns as the camp dragged on.