February 18, 2026

Response to BCHRC’s Report Released on February 4, 2026

Dear Commissioner Govender,

The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) has a long history of responding to encampments while acting as an assist agency in support of public safety. Efforts are always made to establish relationships and facilitate access to community supports. In July 2022, what became known as the Hastings Street Encampment (HSE) rapidly grew from six structures to 181 structures within a matter of weeks. During that time, the VPD did its utmost to maintain safety and address all neighbourhood impacts carefully and respectfully without enforcing existing stigma regarding homelessness, poverty, mental health and/or addiction.

In April 2023, the City of Vancouver proceeded to close the HSE due to significant and intensifying worker and public safety concerns. To ensure worker and public safety, the City of Vancouver requested the VPD’s support to manage access to the active work area. Media were invited and permitted inside with a dedicated VPD liaison on site at the safe work zone perimeter to facilitate media entry and respond to questions. As an assist agency, the VPD worked under the guidance of the BC Ministry of the Attorney General and the City of Vancouver which was responsible for the overall decampment initiative. The VPD did not play an active role in the removal of tents, structures and/or materials, and assumed a role in pursuit of:

• Supporting the Province and the City of Vancouver in their decampment effort;
• Keeping the peace and upholding public safety;
• Facilitate the delivery of social services; and
• Abiding by their lawful authorities provided by the City of Vancouver Bylaws, the Fire Chief’s Order, Police Act authority and common law.

On February 4, 2026, you issued your report into the inquiry of media exclusion during the decampment of the HSE (the “Report”). In the Vancouver Police Board’s view, the Human Rights Commissioner’s opinion that a “media exclusion zone” was created is unsupported by the evidence and the application of an arbitrary definition of an “exclusion zone” underscores the flawed methodology in the Report. The Board is unable to support or implement the Commissioner’s recommendations set out in the Report as they are unsupported by evidence and the recommendations, in the Board’s opinion, fall beyond the scope of the Commissioner’s authority and are largely based on inaccurate legal and factual conclusions.

The Board determined that this matter has been fully resolved and is now formally concluded with no further review, action or correspondence to follow.

Yours sincerely,

Frank Chong
Chair, Vancouver Police Board

CC: Chief Constable Steve Rai
Office of Police Complaints Commissioner
Director of Police Services
City Of Vancouver

Link to Letter