Protesters call for action and compassion after crews dismantle encampment in Kitchener
Roughly 200 people attended a protest on Sunday at the site of a Kitchener encampment that was dismantled by the Region of Waterloo earlier in the week.
Local outreach groups and community leaders organized the event to have their voices heard.
"Part of what I think we need to do is flip the script on the way we think about encampments, Kitchener-Centre MPP Laura Mae Lindo told CTV News. "Encampments are literally everyday solutions to a huge crisis."
Advocates say five people were displaced, including Laura Edwards’s son who had been at the encampment since September 22nd of this year. The show of support at the protest brought her to tears.
"It is very comforting. It makes me realize I am not alone and that is important," Edwards said. "It is a big struggle. It is a very big struggle and when it's your family it really hits home."
According to Edwards, her son is now housed at A Better Tent City but said more needs to be done to protect those experiencing homelessness.
"Kitchener is really good about feeding people but people need a safe place to sleep," Edwards said. "They need people working to help them with their mental illness or addiction."
Community members went to social media, demanding a review by the region on how the camp was removed. Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic is also looking for answers.
“Out of concern about how the situation was handled, I reached out to the chair and CAO and requested that staff conduct a full review with recommendations about how to better handle these situations in the future," Vrbanovic said in a statement to CTV News.
A release by the region reads in part, they are "...conducting a review on the process to clear an encampment at Charles and Stirling in Kitchener. Over the last week and a half, regional staff worked with community partners to support the individuals in the encampment.”
Lindo said the review process is just a first step.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Author Salman Rushdie on ventilator after he was stabbed on lecture stage in New York
Salman Rushdie, whose novel 'The Satanic Verses' drew death threats from Iran's leader in the 1980s, was stabbed in the neck and abdomen Friday by a man who rushed the stage as the author was about to give a lecture in western New York.

Anne Heche legally dead, remains on life support for donor evaluation
Anne Heche remains on life support and under evaluation for organ donation after a car crash that led to her brain death, a representative for the actor said Friday.
FBI seized 'top secret' documents from Trump home
The FBI recovered documents that were labelled 'top secret' from former U.S. President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, according to court papers released Friday after a federal judge unsealed the warrant that authorized the unprecedented search this week.
Passengers tackle Canadian man after he became violent, tried to open plane doors mid-flight
A plane bound for Toronto has been forced to divert to Iceland after a Canadian man allegedly became violent and tried to open the aircraft door mid-air.
Canadian who sold his possessions, used up his savings to deliver aid in Ukraine makes a plea for help
Canadian Adam Oake is among volunteers delivering aid to civilians in Ukraine, but he says donations are drying up and he's issuing a plea for help.
Canadian universities earned record-high surplus revenues during COVID-19: StatCan
Canadian universities reported record-high surplus revenues in wake of the pandemic as schools took advantage of last year's strong stock market performance.
EXCLUSIVE | Woman who was stalked by police officer ex-boyfriend says justice system failed her
Despite a police misconduct probe that found a high-ranking B.C. officer had stalked and harassed his ex-girlfriend for years, a criminal investigation into the case did not result in charges.
Canada to test wastewater for polio
Canada plans to start testing wastewater for poliovirus in a number of cities “as soon as possible” following new reports of cases abroad, the Public Health Agency of Canada confirmed on Friday.
Montenegro gunman kills 10 on the street; police kill him
A man went on a shooting rampage in the streets of this western Montenegro city Friday, killing 10 people, including two children, before being shot dead by a passerby, officials said.