Coquitlam

Bylaws and the Encampment Management Process

The City of Coquitlam prohibits encampments during the daytime through its Zoning Bylaw, rather than its parks bylaw. Section 503(1) of that bylaw prohibits the "residential use of a mobile home, tent, trailer or recreation vehicle" in all zones in the City, including in areas designated as Parks.

When an encampment is discovered, either by a municipal officer, or through a call received from a resident, a bylaw officer will first visit the encampment to confirm if it is occupied. If the encampment is not occupied, a notice is posted, giving 48 hours notice during which the resident should pack up their belongings and move, before a "cleanup" of the site occurs. The City will also distribute a "Street Survival Guide" flyer, which lists various resources including shelter, medical attention, and harm reduction facilities. A copy of this flyer is displayed below.

If the encampment is occupied, the same approach is taken, except the bylaw officer will also ask the encampment resident whether they wish for them to contact Hope for Freedom, a Christian-based shelter and addition recovery service.

After 48 hours, bylaw officers will re-attend the site to confirm it is vacant, and arrange for cleanup.

Tickets

The City of Coquitlam does not "typically" ticket unhoused persons.

Street Survival Guide

Frequency of Encampment Evictions

The below table indicates the frequency of enforcement and visits from Bylaw Officers, from January 1, 2021 - September 30, 2023. The data does not show which park each notice was placed in, although emails from the City suggest many of these notices are placed around parkland at 3030 Gordon Avenue. 

As can be seen, the number of notices placed has gradually increased year after year.