Guelph, Ont. woman says she was pushed to homelessness and 'thrown on the street'

For people living on the fringe of society, the line between the safety and security of a home and homelessness is very thin.

For a second time in her life, Lindsay Alexander, 34, has found herself on the wrong side of that line after getting evicted from community housing earlier this month.

“I just felt like I wasn’t a human being anymore, I didn’t understand, like why are you doing this? Is this really happening?” said Alexander.

Alexander first became homeless in 2018 after she says her life and career were derailed by criminal charges.

“Survival mode is what happens when you become homeless, you are literally just surviving … I wouldn’t wish homelessness on anyone” she says.

While also dealing with an addiction, Alexander has lived at a Matrix housing property in Guelph for the last five years

Matrix is a not-for-profit housing organization that finds housing for the most vulnerable in Wellington County.

Alexander describes her time at Matrix as complicated, but says she appreciates what they have done.

“The Matrix building gave me an opportunity, they took me off the streets, they gave me responsibility, they gave me structure,” she said.

That changed this fall when Alexander was evicted. She says she was forced to leave after she changed the locks on her apartment due a safety concern.

Matrix says they cannot comment on specific cases but says they only evict a tenant in rare circumstances.

“Because of the vulnerability of our tenants, eviction is absolutely a last resort. Our goal, along with other providers throughout the province, is to keep people safely housed,” said Art Kollee, president of the Board of Directors of Matrix Housing.

He says they only evict if a tenant is threatening or extremely disruptive, criminal activity is involved or if they are in arrears and refuse to make payments.

According to Alexander, she felt abandoned by the organization after the eviction.

“I literally was thrown out on the streets, there's no solution, there's no resolution, there is no ‘here is a piece of paper for you to call people that can help you get housed.’ They just threw me out and put me on the streets again,” said Alexander.

With no lifeline from any outreach organizations, Alexander reconnected by chance with a friend who she knew when she was homeless.

“You just really need a safe place and I was really worried about her, and I said ‘Hey I’ve got this 10x10 shed,” said Amelia Buchanan who took in Alexander and has let her live in what she calls her “She-Shed”.

Buchanan now owns a home, but previously spent two years living on the streets when she first met Alexander.

“People who have a home, they don't understand what it's like. It's crazy, it's a new emergency every day, every single morning when you wake up, it's like emergency, emergency, emergency,” said Buchanan.

Alexander says while she is getting her life back in order, she is hoping to help others in her situation, saying people with mental health and addiction issues are more responsive to people with lived experiences.

“If you make them feel like people, they will give back, and they have so much potential that is being lost due to the stigma,” said Alexander.

For now, Buchanan says Alexander is free to live in her tiny home-like shed while she works on a plan to help others.