Many campers remain in Oppenheimer Park after the court-ordered Wednesday night deadline to clear out.
The City of Vancouver issued a statement saying staff would work with firefighters and police to get the remaining inhabitants out of the park “as quickly as possible” Thursday morning.
City spokeswoman Rena Kendall-Craden said more than 100 people have already been moved from the tent city into shelters and housing units, and some shelters will be opening early Thursday to accommodate more campers.
The eviction deadline came just hours after a man was found dead inside a tent at the park.
Police said the death does not appear to be suspicious, and that the deceased may have been there for days.
He hasn’t been identified but authorities believe he was 69 years old.
The B.C. Coroners Service is investigating his death.
The Oppenheimer Park encampment started in July as a protest against shelter conditions and housing availability in Vancouver.
The city filed for a B.C. Supreme Court injunction to clear it out last month, citing health and safety concerns in the park. Drinking, drug use, and the discovery of weapons and buckets of feces were among the chief issues named.
A judge granted the injunction last week after the city promised there would be shelters and housing options for park inhabitants to relocate to.
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Previous story: Vancouver police are preparing for a potential showdown tonight when they enforce an eviction order for campers at a Downtown Eastside park Wednesday night.
Last week a B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled that dozens of campers have until 10 p.m. to vacate Oppenheimer Park, where many have been living since late July.
But as of Tuesday morning, a number of tents still remained at the park, despite police officers and firefighters attending the park Tuesday to let people know about the court order, and to try to get them into shelters.
If the campers must be forced out, police say they intend to record everything on body-mounted cameras that officers will be equipped with.
The cameras are a first for Vancouver police. Chief Jim Chu said while officials are hoping for a peaceful resolution, arrests will be made as a last resort.
“We are asking people to obey the court order,” Chu said Tuesday. “If they interfere with city staff and assault city staff, they may be arrested.”
But homeless advocates say the situation has already escalated too far.
"In the first place, this should never be happening,” said homeless camp supporter Stella August. “Shame on the city and the government for allowing the tent city to even go up."
Anyone who defies the court order could face charges of criminal contempt, according to police.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Nafeesa Karim
