Sole Occupy Whitehorse camper to leave due to winter

The sole member of Occupy Whitehorse camped out outside the Yukon Legislature says he will be leaving by the end of the week because winter is setting in.

Since Oct. 19, Mark Bowers has lived in his camper at the tent city that cropped up in June to protest the Yukon's housing crisis.

Bowers said the Occupy Whitehorse group held a general assembly this weekend, where it was decided he should leave.

"Its the winter time in the Yukon and we have to face facts," he said. "It's expensive. Is it possible to sleep there all winter? Sure it is, but propane is expensive.

"There's safety issues that come into play and the one thing we don't want to do is essentially put anyone's health or life in danger."

He said the Whitehorse group decided to dissociateitself from the tent city protest, becauseit doesn't want to be held responsible for the health and safety of its occupants.The decision comes after a woman died at the Occupy protest in Vancouver.

Bowers said he believes he was under surveillance from government officials but was never formally asked to leave.

Occupy Whitehorse will now be a "virtual occupation" with the campaign switching to Facebook and Twitter, he said. But just because he's leaving doesn't mean he won't be back.

"Will I come back in the winter time and maybe set up camp for a weekend or whatever? You know I might just, because awareness needs to be raised," he said.