Unusual homeless encampment in Vernon draws a lot of attention
Global News
Perched in the trees along a busy stretch of Highway 97 near 48th Avenue is quite the sight: a large treehouse structure, which is part encampment with numerous tents below.
A new homeless encampment in Vernon, B.C., is drawing a lot of attention.
While people sheltering outside is not unusual, the latest one has taken makeshift shelters to new heights — literally.
Perched in the trees along a busy stretch of Highway 97 near 48th Avenue is quite the sight: a large treehouse structure, which is part encampment with numerous tents below.
“It’s pretty clever,” said Frankie Gowing, a Vernon resident. “I just feel badly for people that are homeless and there has to be some solutions.”
It’s not known who built it and when, but according to one nearby resident, it’s been there close to a month.
The treehouse is drawing a lot of attention, not only from passing motorists but also on social media, with some sympathetic to the plight of the unhoused but others outraged it’s allowed. Some people say it’s downright dangerous.
Despite the treehouse structure being within Vernon’s city limits, no one from the city was available to answer questions and address some of the concerns.
Instead, Jessica Hewitt, a communications manager with the city, stated in an email, “This is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transportation and Transit and for information regarding this site, it’s best to contact them directly.”
Alberta's UCP government is changing the rules to make it easier for citizens to force a referendum on issues such as the prospect of the province leaving Confederation.
An at-home DNA test given as a birthday gift solved an 80-year family mystery by revealing that a man in Quebec and a man in the Netherlands were long-lost brothers.
Lina Vargas was on the board for almost two years and told Global News that accountability and transparency are fundamental rights for all community members.
Industry Minister Melanie Joly told the House of Commons committee on international trade the move breaches federal contracts tied to manufacturing in Brampton and Windsor, Ont.
A targeted home invasion and kidnapping led to a gunpoint standoff with police and an overnight chase across Toronto. Two suspects remain at large, investigators say.
In a post on his LinkedIn account, Simon Donner says he resigned on Tuesday and he is grateful for the opportunity to help shape climate policy in Canada.
The development charges can vary greatly from city to city, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation report found.
The three leaders will be in Washington, D.C., for the FIFA World Cup draw, marking the first time they will be in the same room together.
Flu season has arrived early, with CHEO reporting eight times more cases than last year as hospitals warn of rising infections among children and seniors.
Nova Scotia’s largest utility is responding to a stinging letter from Premier Tim Houston by insisting it hasn't broken any laws.
A British Columbia Liberal MP said Prime Minister Mark Carney "will have to answer" questions on why he reversed a budget commitment on tax credits in Alberta energy deal.
AFN Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak has said Budget 2025 failed First Nations because it did not include more infrastructure funding and educational resources for their communities.
Conservation officers in B.C. say they've captured four more grizzly bears that are being tested to determine if they were involved in an attack on a school group last month.