The BC Supreme Court has judged that Victoria's bylaws that prevent homeless people from erecting temporary shelters in city parks violates the Charter. The judge found that because of overcrowding at Victoria's homeless shelters, hundreds of homeless people have been forced to sleep outside. The ruling says that sleeping in a tent or under another structure is not a public safety issue but rather a basic human dignity and that Victoria's bylaws prevented these people from protecting themselves from the elements which could lead to harmful health risks.