Housing Minister Fred Hutton says officials are on the scene at the tent city outside Colonial Building, finding housing solutions for the few people remaining at the site.

Hutton says the living conditions at the site have become a serious safety concern for the people staying there.

Hutton says fortunately, no one was injured, but last week’s fire involving a propane tank used for heating “punctuated how dangerous this really is.” He says it’s not a safe environment for the people living at the site, in combination with the potential for protesters to try to escalate the protest at the site.

Hutton says yesterday nine people accepted offers for placement in various areas of the city, with three people left there this morning.

He says a government team is on site again today, along with representatives of End Homelessness St. John’s, NL Housing, and income support. “The longer this goes on, the more likely it is for something bad to happen because of the unsafe conditions down there.”

The old Airport Comfort Inn is now phasing-in operations and a small number of people are now availing of the shelter and services there.

Hutton understands that people living at the site might feel nervous about leaving, but he says they’re offering options to people that are safer than the current living conditions at the tent city.

“They are not going to be evicted, there is nobody going down there and forcibly removing people from that site. What we are doing is continue to offer options.”

Hutton says any personal belongings removed from the site are being safely stored for retrieval at RNC Headquarters.