Encampment cleared at Soper Park in Cambridge
Crews with heavy machinery moved in early Thursday morning to remove the remaining property and debris at an encampment at Cambridge’s Soper Park.
Encampment residents who spoke to CTV News said while the clearing was peacefully and orderly, it wasn’t voluntary.
Residents received trespass notices from the City of Cambridge last Friday, saying they could face charges of fines if they didn’t leave by Wednesday.
The land belongs to both to the city and the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited railroad company.
Police and bylaw officers were at the encampment during the week, as people living there packed up their things.
According to outreach workers and advocates at the scene, encampment residents were given until midnight Wednesday to clear out their belongings.
U-hauls were brought in to help people move their things.
As many as 50 people called the encampment home.
Homeless advocates told CTV News most people don’t have anywhere else to go.
“Last I heard there were 30 people that are being displaced and as we know there is not space for these people in the region’s shelter system, and spaces are not accessible,” said Ashley Schuitema, a lawyer from Waterloo Region Community Legal Services.
On Wednesday night, Schuitema also appeared before Regional Council, asking politicians for action to deal with the homelessness crisis in Cambridge.
She referenced a previous encampment at 150 Main Street which was cleared out, prior to people setting up at Soper Park.
“The stories we have heard about how the closure at 150 Main was voluntary do not align with the stories we’ve heard from people who were living there,” Schuitema said.
“We ask that you … immediately designate a place in Cambridge where people can tent, because they have nowhere else to go.”
In January, a judge ruled a different encampment on regional land in Kitchener could stay until proper housing was found. Lawyers said the same should apply here.
“We’re certainly thinking about what the legal options are for these people who are experiencing these evictions,” said Schuitema.
City officials said their priority remains ensuring that individuals are being connected to appropriate outreach services.
The city and region told CTV News they did not authorize the heavy equipment on site but lawyers said the same was seen during other evictions, and that it doesn’t matter who ordered it.
“It’s very frustrating to see that no lessons have been learned here,” said Schuitema.
NEIGHBOURS REACT
For some residents who live nearby, seeing residents leave the encampment is a welcome change.
“It almost feels like a sense of entitlement like they should be there, which is unfortunate, because it’s not the case. If you want to stay somewhere, you have to be respectful,” said resident Alexis Sabourin.
Sabourin presented to city council last week saying she stopped walking through the park after she was stopped by several men while trying to pass through.
“As soon as I left, I broke down in tears,” she said.
Sabourin admitted she lived on the streets of Cambridge for about seven years but said she expects another encampment to take its place somewhere else.
“And it is a huge game of whack-a-mole. It is unfortunate, but it is what it is. I was fortunate enough that my husband waited for me to get sober and I had a home to go to, otherwise I would have been in the same boat,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6977053.1721909931!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
'Sick to my stomach': People grieve Jasper National Park by sharing favourite photos
As an out-of-control wildfire roared through Alberta’s famed Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday, many are fearing the worst as officials warned of 'significant loss' within the area.
DEVELOPING Jasper wildfire burns buildings, while poor air quality forces some fire crews out
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on social media that Ottawa has approved Alberta's request for federal assistance after a fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday.
Canadian women's soccer team staffer given suspended prison sentence over drone incident, prosecutor says
A Canada women's soccer team staffer has been given an eight-month suspended prison sentence after flying a drone to film the closed-door training session of the New Zealand team on Monday, the prosecutor's office said in a statement.
Sale of envoy's NYC condo 'expected to exceed' $9M: government
The current official residence for Canada's representative in New York City is 'being readied for sale,' according to a spokesperson from Global Affairs Canada.
'I'm so broke': Two Toronto women speak out after losing $76,000 in romance scam
Two women from the Toronto area are speaking out after losing thousands of dollars to a romance scam, including a single mother who lost $62,000.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Loblaw, George Weston to settle class action over bread price-fixing for $500 million
Loblaw Cos. Ltd. and its parent company George Weston Ltd. say they have agreed to pay $500-million to settle a class-action lawsuit regarding their involvement in an alleged bread price-fixing scheme.
EXCLUSIVE One address, 76 foreign currency dealers: Inside Canada's money service business 'clusters'
An IJF and CTV News investigation has found dozens of cases across Canada where multiple money services businesses (MSBs) are incorporated at the same address, sometimes without the knowledge or consent of the location's actual occupant. One money laundering expert calls it an 'abuse of the system.'
An unwelcome attendee has joined the Paris Olympic Games: COVID-19
After a handful of Australian water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 this week, questions have emerged around how the spread of the disease will be mitigated at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.