Regional Council Meeting August 18, 2022

Agenda includes:

• (7.1.2.) Community Services Committee Summary - Interim Response to Homelessness - August 9, 2022 34 - Recommended Motion

• (8.1. CSD-HOU-22-19), Interim Housing Solutions for Regional Residents Experiencing Homelessness

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Delegations: 

• Meagan Snyder, Unsheltered Campaign
• ​Ed Edwards, Kitchener
• David Alton, Julian Ichim and Mauleek Bhatt, Kitchener's Lived Expertise Working Group
• Brooklin Wallis, Kitchener
• Kevin White, Waterloo Region Yes in My Backyard
• Robert Deutschmann, North Dumfries
• Laura Pin, Hamilton​

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Related Recent Meetings: 

• August 9, 2022 Regional Community Services Committee Meeting
• Regional Council Meeting June 22, 2022

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• "It's taken a crisis" for Waterloo Region government to change approach to homelessness - The Record
• Outdoor hybrid shelters get the green light from regional council - CBC
• Yes, to a new sanctioned tent city - The Record
• Region considers new homeless strategy that could include region-run encampments - City News
• Waterloo Region to address homelessness- CTV
• Regional council to hear more on interim response to homelessness - City News​​
• A Better Tent City inspires how-to book - The Record​​

"That’s why the regional government is right to seek the go-ahead from a judge in November to proceed with the eviction notice it’s issued to the encampment residents."

Sanctioning and forceful evictions are opposites when it comes to human rights approach to encampments.

— Social Development Centre Waterloo Region (@sdcwr) August 29, 2022

The Region of Waterloo council approved a series of measures on Thursday to help ease the growing homelessness crisis, including a first-ever decision to permit an encampment. https://t.co/au9zU7qIRE

— CTV Kitchener (@CTVKitchener) August 19, 2022

• Emergency overnight shelter beside Kitchener high school to continue operating until end of September - City News
• Eviction application gives window into 
  Victoria camp - The Record​​
• Eviction of Weber Street encampment now before the courts - CBC
• Decision on Region of Waterloo's eviction order for Victoria encampment pushed to November - The Record
• Human Rights of homeless ignored by cities fighting encampments, says former U.N. special rapporteur (article)- CBC 
  • ​Radio Segment with Morning Edition - CBC

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• Housing: A Human Right
• Unsheltered Campaign: Letters and Recent Engagements
• How to Help: Contributing to Unsheltered Needs and Shelter Supports (In ongoing build)  
• ​​The Criminalization of Homelessness
• Living Rough: Encampments
• ​Living Rough: Washrooms
• The Housing First Approach
• Substance Use and Homelessness

Because there must always be music...