City of Cambridge initiating Encampment evictions *during extreme heat wave*
Last week, multiple encampment residents were issued notices to vacate the public lands where they currently reside, sheltering outdoors. These particular lands fall under the jurisdiction of the City of Cambridge, who decided it was the right time and decision to enforce its bylaws and the Trespass to Property Act to evict the individuals exisiting in this space--during this period of extreme heat.
These individuals, already failed by our flawed social infrastructures, now face further danger due to their forced displacement and increased exposure to the elements. Stripping away their personal efforts and ability to maintain even the most basic form of shelter amidst an overwhelming housing crisis at all - let alone during an extreme weather event - is not only deeply unjust, but a clear violation of their rights. What this says of our own lacking humanity really frightens me... We should probably talk about this. #Unsheltered #HumanRights
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Eviction notices were served June 20th, 2025 by the City of Cambridge. (Viewable in image below)
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Ongoing topic thoughts and ramblings- convieniently arranged and published in no particular order!
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With climate change, we’re experiencing extreme heat and humidity more frequently in our community. High heat is risky, but heat and humidity together are a more dangerous combination. High humidity impacts how well our bodies can cool down via sweating, to a point where we cannot cool our core temperature by sweating. At this point, heat stress and deaths can occur.
Outreach workers report two separate evictions initiated during the ongoing extreme heat event. City of Cambridge bylaw and Waterloo Region Police Services officers approached individuals experiencing homelessness at two separate encampments within the community, informing them of imminent evictions. In one case officers appeared at the encampment with an environmental cleaning company, intending to remove and dispose of all the inhabitant’s personal belongings the same morning the individual received the notice. Local activists have called attention to the life and death risk attached to encampment evictions. The Federal Housing Advocate has said that “The increase in encampments and unsheltered homelessness across Canada reflects a lack of government action and inadequate allocation of resources for essential programs and services over the course of many years…all governments are also failing in their duty to protect life.”
Knowing encampment evictions pose a danger to the health and safety of people experiencing homelessness, it is imperative that a pause on evictions should be mandatory during extreme weather events. Once forced out of their outdoor homes, individuals have no other place to go and seek shelter from the weather. Taking away personal belongings adds another layer of cruelty and risk to the encampment eviction experience, removing equipment or clothing that could provide shade and protection from the extreme heat. Bans on evictions during heat events are necessary for the health and safety of community members who do not have a home to return to.
Knowing encampment evictions pose a danger to the health and safety of people experiencing homelessness, it is imperative that a pause on evictions should be mandatory during extreme weather events. Once forced out of their outdoor homes, individuals have no other place to go and seek shelter from the weather. Taking away personal belongings adds another layer of cruelty and risk to the encampment eviction experience, removing equipment or clothing that could provide shade and protection from the extreme heat. Bans on evictions during heat events are necessary for the health and safety of community members who do not have a home to return to.
The value of Basic needs - forgotten
There’s irony in the fact that many of us learn about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in our youth, yet seem to forget its most basic principles as we grow older. There appears to be a widespread failure to recognize the necessity of meeting every individual’s fundamental physiological and survival needs before expecting them to progress toward higher levels of growth or self-actualization. When access to basic needs is lacking, and day-to-day survival becomes a constant struggle, it becomes nearly impossible to move beyond these foundational stages.
"Physiological needs are biological requirements for human survival, e.g., air, food, drink, shelter, clothing, sleep, and homeostasis.."
Source: SimplyPsychology.org
Even greater challenges arise when the efforts being made to meet these basic needs are actively undermined or obstructed—such as through the eviction of encampments. Notably, this has been identified and outlined in a multitude of documents (by some really smart people!), yet somehow we persist, seemingly unaware/uncaring of the harms being perpetuated by this selective ignorance. This self imposed status quo is failing us all.
Why are we shaking our own jar?
A while back, I read a post on social media with a story about ants in a jar. It struck me at the time, and has frequently felt deeply applicable since too.
So it went (ish)...
There was a jar where several ant colonies had made their home, living side by side. Even though they were different, they managed to share the space, content and healthy. Then one day, the jar was shaken. The disturbance threw everything off. Scared and confused, the ants started attacking each other. The shaking had frightened them, and of that fear, they reacted with violence and retaliation. |
Not one stopped to ask what had shaken the jar, nor questioned why. Instead they destroyed each other, and in so, themselves.