Neighbours of A Better Tent City's temporary home respond to relocation
The temporary accommodations of A Better Tent City in Kitchener is getting mixed reactions from those that live nearby.
On Thursday, it was announced that the 50 residents, most who were previously homeless, would be moving to a space on Battler Road typically used for snow storage.
The temporary space was provided by the city after ABTC had to leave their original home on the Lot 42 site following the sale of the property.
They had hope to relocate to a property on Breslau, but received push back from nearby residents and was ultimately not approved.
"I'm happy that the City of Kitchener stepped up and helped us so we don't have to be out on the streets," said volunteer Nadine Green.
On Saturday, residents around the Battler Road location made a special delivery of 20 pizzas and a new fridge to the new residents.
"We had about four or five different community members donate together and then we went to a local pickup pizzeria," said resident Charlotte Middleton. "We're only a few paycheques away from sometimes being in this position ourselves."
Most items in ABTC's storage room are from the food bank and private donations.
In an email to CTV News, one nearby resident says they weren't notified of the move and that "the safety of our children, businesses, our homes, and reputation must be addressed."
The site is on the border of the ward city councilor Kelly Galloway-Sealock represents, and she says she's heard mixed reaction about the move, with some residents wanting to donate and other raising concerns.
"They hadn't been welcomed in other areas and weren't necessarily welcomed here as well," said Middleton "We wanted to make sure that us welcoming them was louder than the unwelcoming messages they might've received."
Galloway-Sealock adds that staff, organizers, and community members are working with the group to find a new site before the end of October.
"Give me, give us a chance and come by to say hello," said Green. "You might like us."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
BREAKING Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.