'That's inhumane': Man forced to leave homeless encampment dismantled by region
A man is speaking out about his experience living at a homeless encampment dismantled by the region last week.
Shannon Burt said he was living in the encampment at Stirling Avenue and Charles Street in Kitchener until it was taken down by the region.
Burt said he and five others were living at the site for about two months. He claimed the residents woke up to bylaw banging on their tents at around 9:30 a.m.on Friday, Nov. 26.
“And we're being told to 'get out of the tent, move.' And it’s like...I’ve moved 100 times in three years. I don’t feel like moving today, and it was freezing cold that day,” said Burt.
That afternoon a front-end loader was used to discard the tents and shopping carts left on site.
Burt said the experience left him feeling "violated."
“They put it in the front and loader and just dumped it in the back of a truck,” Burt said. “Telling somebody they can’t sleep when all they need is to sleep. That’s inhumane. That’s torture.”
Burt is now staying at A Better Tent City on Ardelt Place in Kitchener.
A volunteer with ABTC said she went to pick-up Burt that day and said he was very shaken.
“Stuff that they’re putting in the garbage is worth gold to somebody and the shopping carts are being used to put their belongings in,” said Nadine Green with ABTC.
Over the weekend a large protest of about 200 people called out the region’s actions.
On Monday, a public apology was issued by the region’s Chief Administrative Officer.
"All residents deserved to be treated with respect and dignity," CAO Bruce Lauckner said Monday. "On Friday we failed to do that. Seeing the images from Friday hit a lot of people hard. It hit me hard. This is not who we are."
Lesley Crompton from the Social Development Centre of Waterloo Region was on site when the encampment was dismantled and says she was in shock.
Crompton claims regional officials stated they do not evict encampments at a Nov. 17 council meeting.
Regional council was told Monday that there would be ongoing discussions in December and a review would be presented at a later date.
“Any investigation into this break down with both the bylaw and housing systems should be done by an independent organization,” said Crompton.
On Monday the region said the role of police and the approval process of how it was handled will be part of the review.
It is unclear if the region or a third party will be conducting it.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.