Region of Waterloo
Community Services Committee October 4, 2022 

Agenda (PDF) includes:

• Delegations 5.1. John Gardner, Cambridge re: Robert Kerr Manor
• 8.1. Strategic Focus – Healthy, Safe and Inclusive Communities
  • 8.1.1. CSD-HOU-22-020, Waterloo Region Housing Tenant and Community Engagement Strategy
• 9.1. Strategic Focus – Healthy, Safe and Inclusive Communities
  • 9.1.2. Verbal Update, Homelessness Interim Response​ ​

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Unsheltered Campaign

Candidates were provided with a link to sign their #UnshelteredPledge online, and were also invited to an @UnshelteredC Town Hall on Monday, October 17th at 6:30pm. Any voters who would like to attend - please DM to receive a Zoom link.

— unsheltered.campaign (@UnshelteredC) October 11, 2022

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We're excited to be hosting this event October 12, 7pm. Here's the link to register: https://t.co/977rgBN3qz pic.twitter.com/IlTO8jgv0g

— Waterloo Region YIMBY (@WRYIMBY) September 18, 2022

Engage Waterloo Region: Interim Housing Solutions: 
​From above link:
"Interim Housing Solutions Strategy
We are moving forward with an Interim Housing Solutions strategy to address this challenging situation, using four key tools:

• Expanding the Transitional Housing Program;
• Expanding the Home-Based Support Program;
• Expanding the Emergency Shelter Program; and
• Permitting a temporary managed Hybrid Shelter/Outdoor Model.

In addition, we will create a Homelessness Master Plan, which will guide the Region’s work to prevent and end homelessness." 

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I am grateful Clarke shut down the hate speech but then to watch the rest of council centre this delegate for 30 min? last meeting every delegate called for the withdrawal of court case & council completely ignored them But one hateful man and now there asking for a staff report

— Wailing David (@ourjoymovement) October 11, 2022

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• A National Protocol for Homeless Encampments in Canada - Make-The-Shift.org
• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - United Nations
• The Shift Directives: From Financialized to Human Rights-Based Housing - Make-The-Shift.org
• ​Services and Housing in the Province (SHIP)

The Region's approach to encampments is giving me whiplash.
"The court action is consistent with our approach (to housing)"
“Any solution will be rooted in community engagement,” both from those living in the encampments and the surrounding neighbourhood"https://t.co/PqsBSpepZX

— Rob Deutschmann, candidate for Regional Council (@robdeutschmann) October 5, 2022

Reality check cont.

“The court action is consistent with our approach (to housing).”@Redman4Region

Moving and threatening encampments through courts is making them unsafe too.@RegionWaterloo need to involve encampment residents to ensure we change such approach to housing. https://t.co/Rz2M9oSe5l

— Social Development Centre Waterloo Region (@sdcwr) October 5, 2022

• Vancouver tent city removal order facing court challenge - CTV News
• Judicial review sought for fire order to remove tents off Vancouver street - Toronto Star
• Judicial review sought of fire order to remove tents off Vancouver street - City News​

• Housing - Social Development Center Waterloo Region
  • Life Stories of Displacement
• Housing Now: How New Census Data Will Shape the Canadian Housing Landscape - University of British Columbia​

• A National Housing Strategy By And For Whom? Documented Experiences of People With Living Knowledge of Housing Need
• ​​Displacement in Kitchener's Inner Suburbs: Experiences and perspectives from low-income tenants
  

In The News...

• Child, 11, living in homeless encampment - The Record
• "Nobody is turning a blind eye" to children living in encampments - The Record
• Multiple Indigenous youth living rough in region - City News
• Region announces new emergency shelter in Kitchener - City News
• Region opening new emergency shelter in Kitchener - The Record
• New emergency homeless shelter planned for Kitchener - CTV
• Local partnership offers walk-in counselling at 150 Main St. - Cambridge Today
• "How does the new King Street Shelter fit into our plans to address the local homelessness crisis? (19:44)" The Mike Farwell Show​
• Grassroots groups quiz municipal, school board candidates in Waterloo Region - The Record
• Region of Waterloo is looking for four sites to house residents living in tents - The Record
• Commercial kitchen at A Better Tent City means daily meals for community - CBC
• Second emergency shelter space opening in downtown Kitchener - Cambridge Today
• Region now getting advice on the local housing crisis from people without homes - CBC

Region's newest emergency shelter already at capacity https://t.co/06gg46MhFY pic.twitter.com/xSJK6VVzCw

— CityNews Kitchener (@CityNewsKIT) October 5, 2022

• Victoria Park campers "would be glad to take those options" if affordable housing was available  - CTV
• Waterloo Region is facing "monumental" homeless crisis - The Record
• "Managed encampment" label could scare away people who need to live there, UW researcher says - CBC
  • UW researcher on region's plans to create a managed, outdoor encampment (Radio segment: The Morning Edition - CBC) 

More around here...

• Housing: A Human Right
• ​​The Criminalization of Homelessness
• The Housing First Approach
• Substance Use and Homelessness​
• Regional Council Meeting August 18, 2022​​

Because there must always be music...