About 20 tents dotted a section of Victoria Park on Wednesday.
A group of protesters had struck camp in the park the previous night, calling attention to what they describe as the dwindling supply of affordable housing in downtown Kitchener.
“I see downtown spiralling in the vicious cycle,” organizer Julian Ichim said.
“We’re seeing more and more low-income housing torn down to make room for what is being seen as revitalization.”
Rick Tur is one protester who says he’s been directly affected by that shift.
He says he was forced out of his home near the park, because the property owner wanted to turn the site into commercial lands.
“When they took me out of my home, I was forced to be on the streets,” he said.
“I’m now out of a job.”
Last November, a count of Waterloo Region’s homeless population found 339 people dealing with the issue.
Of those, 85 per cent were found to have mental health issues.
There are currently more than 2,700 affordable housing units owned and operated by the Region of Waterloo – which has set a goal of creating 350 more such units in the next four years.
The Working Centre plans to create 18 units of its own – and use the rent money it charges to pay for supports for the people living in the units.
“There’s a production factory out there, creating homelessness every day – people being laid off from work, mental health issues (or) lack of health supports,” said Joe Mancini of The Working Centre.
“On the other hand, you also have a much more focused approach … to support the actual individuals in these kinds of crises.”
The protesters say they plan to stay in Victoria Park until Canada Day.
They hope that their action will help convince all levels of government to step up their efforts to fight homelessness.
