Enforce Princeton’s Property Maintenance Bylaw and Protect Our Public Spaces

To the Mayor and Council of the Town of Princeton,

More than 400 residents previously signed a petition expressing concerns regarding encampments, public safety, environmental impacts, and the loss of access to public spaces within Princeton. That petition demonstrated significant community concern and called upon Council to take action. Today, many of those concerns remain unresolved.

Since that petition was launched, Princeton Council adopted Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1059, 2026. The bylaw specifically states  its purpose is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the community and to prohibit unsightly conditions. The bylaw prohibits the accumulation of refuse, rubbish, litter, waste, filth, campers, containers, and other materials on public property and authorizes the Town to remove such materials when necessary.

This petition is not about criminalizing homelessness.  This is about protecting public health, public safety, environmental stewardship, accessibility, and ensuring municipal bylaws are applied consistently and fairly while advocating for meaningful housing, shelter, treatment, recovery, and mental health supports.

OUR CONCERNS INCLUDE:

·       Public Safety Risks: Open drug use, discarded needles, and drug-related paraphernalia in parks, riverside areas, and public lands create serious health and safety risks for all residents—especially children, seniors, visitors and wildlife.

·       Environmental Damage: The improper disposal of human waste, garbage, and hazardous materials poses a direct threat to the sensitive river ecosystem, wildlife, and the health of our natural spaces.

·       Degradation of Our Community: The visible decline in safety, cleanliness, and overall livability in Princeton affects everyone. Families are avoiding parks, businesses are impacted, and some residents may feel unsafe. This contributes to the deterioration of Princeton’s reputation as a clean, welcoming, and safe ‘community’ town.

·       Increased Theft and Vagrancy: There are growing concerns about rising incidents of theft and vagrancy linked to unregulated encampments, impacting local businesses, residents, and overall community well-being.

·       Legal and Liability Concerns: Allowing unregulated encampments and open drug use in public spaces may expose the Town to liability risks, contribute to the degradation of our community, compromise the integrity of public spaces, and jeopardize public health and safety.

Applicable BC Court Rulings:

Recent court decisions in British Columbia, including landmark rulings such as Victoria (City) v. Adams, have established important legal principles regarding homelessness and municipal powers:

·       Municipalities are limited in their ability to prohibit overnight sheltering if no adequate shelter alternatives are available. This recognizes the rights and dignity of individuals experiencing homelessness.

·       However, these rulings also affirm that municipalities retain the

·       authority and responsibility to address encampments that are permanent, pose health or safety risks, or cause environmental damage.

Therefore, while compassionate accommodation of temporary sheltering needs is required, municipalities must act to protect public health, safety, and the environment by regulating and, where necessary, removing encampments that create significant hazards.

Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1059 specifically identifies conditions that create health risks, safety issues, fire hazards, or conditions that detract from the appearance of neighbourhoods as matters requiring municipal action.

Residents deserve to understand how the Town intends to enforce these standards and whether the same standards applied to private property owners will be applied consistently on public lands.

We respectfully request that Princeton Council:

1. Consistently enforce Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1059 on all public property throughout the Town of Princeton.

2. Develop and publicly release an Encampment Response and Public Space Management Policy outlining enforcement practices, response procedures, cleanup standards, and public reporting requirements.

3. Publicly explain how Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1059 will be enforced on public lands and whether enforcement standards differ from those applied to private property owners.

4. Protect public parks, trails, riverfront areas, playgrounds, sports facilities, and recreational spaces from ongoing degradation.

5. Protect environmentally sensitive areas along the Similkameen and Tulameen Rivers and ensure restoration efforts are undertaken where damage has occurred.

6. Provide quarterly public reporting regarding encampment-related complaints, enforcement actions, cleanup costs, environmental impacts, and outcomes.

7. Establish a transparent public reporting process that allows residents and businesses to submit concerns and receive updates regarding enforcement actions.

8. Work with provincial and federal partners to secure additional shelter, treatment, recovery, supportive housing, and mental health resources for vulnerable individuals.

9. Ensure public lands remain safe, clean, accessible, and available for their intended public use.

Princeton can be both compassionate and accountable. We believe vulnerable individuals deserve meaningful supports and pathways to stability. We also believe residents deserve safe, clean, and accessible public spaces and that municipal bylaws should be enforced fairly, consistently, and transparently.

By signing this petition, we call upon Princeton Council to uphold the standards established in Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1059, 2026 and take meaningful action to protect the health, safety, welfare, environment, and shared public spaces of our community.

(shown for reference of prior petition)

*you do NOT need to donate, the donations go towards change.org NOT this cause.*