Surrey, B.C., city hall is investigating spreading of offensively odorous chicken manure around a drop-in centre for homeless. (City of Surrey)

Chicken manure spread on city property in Surrey, B.C., is causing a stink at city hall following allegations that city crews left the manure to prevent the homeless from loitering.

Chicken manure was left on the grass, along sidewalks and in an empty city-owned lot beside the Front Room, a busy resource centre for the homeless on 135a Street in North Surrey.

"You got all this staff here at the Front Room trying to save lives. They can't even sit out here and talk to the clients, try to guide them to the right place when all that smell is around," said Tim Tabor, an advocate for the homeless.

"It's just inhuman. How would they like it in their yard?"

Witnesses saw Surrey city workers spreading the manure, Tabor said.

Acting Surrey mayor Barinder Rasode did not deny it was municipal employees who did the deed but she said the order was not given by city council or the mayor.

An investigation is underway into whether bylaw officers and RCMP initiated the plan, Rasode said.

"A part of our understanding [is] that it may have been the city's law enforcement agency, which are the bylaw officers, in conjunction with maybe a local officer at the [RCMP] office," Rasode told CBC News.

Rasode said that following the complaints, the manure was removed over the weekend.