Michael Cox Photography

Beacon Hill Park, in Victoria BC, is one of the nicest city parks anywhere. With an economy in tatters, the unemployed who can't afford rent have begun camping in the park. It isn't illegal, but it is regulated to some extent by the city. Many citizens told me they do not feel safe walking through the park, but when I spoke with two couples who were living in their tents, in two separate locations, they were respectful and had tidy campsites. Waste is a problem: there aren't many public washrooms, nor sources of potable water.