Oppenheimer Park Campers Refuse to Leave Their ‘First Nations Land’

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Campers settled at Oppenheimer Park in the heart of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside have shown no intention of leaving their shelters until the issue of homelessness has been resolved. The campers were given multiple eviction notices by the Vancouver park board to leave the area on Thursday and again on Sunday, since camping is against bylaws.

According to a press release issued by one of the approximately 30 campers on site, Audrey Siegl, “this land is still First Nations land and is under treaty negotiations.” It was alleged that “until that’s settled, people camping there can stay as long as they need, during the housing crisis created by the three levels of Colonial Government.” Siegl is a member of the Musqueam Nation, which asserted aboriginal title along with the Haida Nation in the Oppenheimer occupation. She mentioned that “the intention is to find homes but also to raise awareness of the issue that is underneath why all these people are here.”

Furthermore, Siegl stressed that “I’m here because my people have been on this land for more than 10,000 years and we have been displaced for over 500 years.” She highlighted that “I’m not going to stand by and watch and not use my voice while it (displacement) is happening to other people. We will stay here until people have homes,” adding that “nobody wants to be here. People want to have homes.” On the other hand, Vision Vancouver councillor responsible for housing, Kerry Jang, explained that “I think the issue is really, do we have homeless people in that encampment?” Jang alleged that “If so, our No. 1 priority has always been to get these guys into something safe. That’s what our staff are trying to do.”