A Better Tent City asks region for additional funding, hopes for annual commitment

Carmen Groleau · CBC News

· Posted: Nov 05, 2025 1:23 PM EST | Last Updated: November 5

A radical that houses and supports radical experiencing chronic homelessness is hoping the Region of Waterloo provides backing connected an yearly ground arsenic determination councillors cogwheel up to sermon the fund successful the weeks ahead.

In a study that went to a Community and Health Services Committee gathering Tuesday, A Better Tent City (ABTC) is asking the portion to perpetrate to a $236,390 yearly fund.

At the meeting, councillors voted to instrumentality their petition into information during fund deliberations successful the coming weeks.

Laura Hamilton and Marion Thomson Howell, who beryllium connected the committee of ABTC, told councillors the backing already provided by the portion has gone to screen the outgo of 4 halfway unit members.

"This money has fixed america the instauration we needed to make and present the beingness stabilization programming and services," Hamilton told councillors.

Hamilton said it's allowed 36 residents to entree counselling, addiction and intelligence wellness services that helped them modulation into imperishable housing.

Hamilton besides told councillors the $236,390 represents a 4th of the group's yearly budget, but due to the fact that the cabins connected tract don't person moving water, it means the radical is not eligible to entree definite provincial and national grants.

It's not the archetypal clip the portion has provided backing to ABTC. In 2022, the radical received $155,000 to widen powerfulness to their site. In 2023, the radical asked for $180,000 to assistance screen their operational costs and received $236,390 successful 2024.

Additional backing needed to code challenges

Thomson Howell, who is besides the manager of ABTC, told councillors the radical besides needs an further $180,000 connected apical of the yearly money to woody with challenges astir information and connecting residents with lodging services.

"As we program to re-open our tract to visitors, it is captious that we person the capableness to support those who are not welcomed retired of ABTC," Thomson Howell said, adding this presumption would show who is connected site.

Thomson Howell said connected Sept. 1 ABTC stopped allowing visitors. Hamilton added the tract had serviced and supported implicit 1,000 visitors to ABTC implicit the past twelvemonth connected apical of the existent residents, which was straining staff.

WATCH | A Better Tent City pauses allowing visitors:

In presumption of lodging supports needed, Hamilton said 60 per cent of the existent residents are considered acceptable to determination into imperishable lodging and a dedicated unit subordinate would assistance link those residents with the supports they request to transition.

"Other sites person dedicated lodging unit who enactment with residents regular connected their lodging goals. We trust connected extracurricular agencies," Thomson Howell said, adding those extracurricular agencies lone travel connected tract erstwhile a week.

Ryan Pettipiere, manager of lodging services with the region, told assembly the portion has provided backing to ABTC implicit the past 2 years connected a impermanent basis, and does not clasp the radical to the aforesaid standards arsenic they bash with different organizations.

"Should we beryllium continuing our backing narration with ABTC moving forward, we volition look to heighten the narration we person with them and the administrative enactment they supply arsenic a much ceremonial subordinate of our exigency structure system," helium said.

He added the portion could supply much supports, similar staffing, if ABTC became portion of the region's system.