REGIONAL COUNCIL AMENDS BY-LAW TO DEFER POSSESSION OF 100VIC

On Jan. 9, 2026,  the Region of Waterloo council amended By-Law 25-021. This deferred the possession date for the Kitchener transit hub site until Apr. 1, 2026. Metrolinx has advised the Region of Waterloo that it requires the use of 100 Victoria St. N. for its Kitchener Central Transit Hub (KCTH). The first version of the bylaw was designed to have encampment residents off 100Vic by the end of 2025.  The region wants to use the property as a staging area for construction vehicles and equipment for the KCTH, planned to be built at the nearby intersection of King St. and Victoria St. 

The amendment was made to allow residents of 100 Victoria St. N. encampment (100Vic) to find alternative housing options.    

“The offer would include an individual housing plan with appropriate alternative accommodation, social service supports and transportation and storage for up to six months at no cost to the person,” Fiona McCrea, regional solicitor and director of legal services, said.   

An information session for current residents of the 100Vic ran on Jan. 5, 2026, along with a public information and input meeting on Jan. 7, 2026. A summary of these two sessions was included in the appendix of the addendum report.   

“There was support expressed at both sessions for the removal of the monetary penalty and the provision of written offers of alternative accommodation included in the amendments,” McCrea said.   

Across the Waterloo Region, there are 24 known encampments and approximately 50-59 residents in them. However, the 100Vic by-law and its amendment would only affect the residents and the encampment there.  The motion of including a safe-tenting by-law came up on the Jan. 9, 2026, meeting. This would outline the procedures which people are to follow when putting up tents in designated areas deemed suitable by a governing body.   

“Such a protocol exists in other communities in Ontario including Hamilton, London, St. Thomas and the Region of Peel. These are provisions set through a by-law that provides the circumstances and conditions [in] which individuals can tent in the municipality,” Peter Sweeney, Commissioner of Community Services, said.  

Safe tenting by-laws come in one of two forms: one where individuals are given specific locations in which they are permitted to tent. The other outlines where people are not permitted to tent and sets provisions of distance from schools, cemeteries and childcare centers.   

For example, London’s Park and Recreation Area By-Law-PR-2 prohibits people from encroaching on municipally owned lands or erecting fences on municipally owned lands without the written consent of the City. Whereas the Region of Peel’s Encampment Policy Framework and Joint Protocols  explicitly outlines areas where encampments are prohibited. 

“Not one person that spoke last night wanted this amendment. Even though you [the council] might think it would be advantageous to those living in the encampment.” Pam Wolf, Region of Waterloo Councilor, said.  

Wolf wanted the Region of Waterloo council to explore the safe tenting protocols of other municipalities. The motion to explore the safe tenting protocol was defeated by a final vote of 8-8. 

DONATIONS FOR 100 VIC FOR THE WINTER

Winter is here and residents at 100 Victoria St. North (100Vic) need supplies to get them through the season. Going into the harshest weather of the year, residents need the support of their community now more than ever. Here are a list of things residents need and details on how to donate.   

Urgently  

• Four person tents  

• Tarps  

• Wooden pallets  

• Sleeping bags  

• Blankets  

• Hygiene products  

Needed daily   

• Water  

• Juice  

• Single serve snacks (granola bars)  

• Home cooked meals  

• Clothes  

• Hats  

• Nail clippers and files  

• Pest repellent  

Amazon Wishlist 

• Glad black garbage bags  

• Rubbermaid 6-pack heavy duty durable totes  

• 8-liter plastic storage boxes  

• Evian natural spring water, 12 bottles  

• 36 Pack AAA batteries  

• 48 Pack AA batteries  

• Polarized sunglasses   

• Banana Boat sunscreen  

• Butane refill  

• Sunheavy duty double-sided dust barriers  

• Rain tarps  

• Paracord bracelet rope   

• Awning repair tape  

• Permanent all-weather duct tape  

How to drop off donations  

There is a parking lot adjacent to the encampment. Once at the encampment, the donation table is near the Sandbag House in the middle of camp. There will be a Fight-Back member on-site near the donation table.   

Other options for drop-offs  

Donations can be dropped off at the encampment at any time. For large or heavy donations, reach out to [email protected] to arrange a drop-off. If you are unable to make it to the encampment, pick-ups can be arranged for donations. 

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A LAYOUT OF LAWS SURROUNDING ENCAMPMENTS

Bill 6, The Safer Municipalities Act of 2025, passed in April of this year. Regional councillors voted in favour of the site-specific bylaw that allows the municipality to clear residents from 100 Victoria St. South (100Vic) in Kitchener by Dec. 1, 2025. This, along with several other bylaws and bills, poses a grave threat to the safety and well-being of the residents of 100 Victoria St.   

“A police officer or prescribed provincial offences officer may issue directions to a person if the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the person is consuming an illegal substance in a public place,” Bill 6 states.  

The bill is enacted as a part of Chapter 5 of the Statutes of Ontario, 2025. It was put forward by Robert Flack, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Schedule 1 of Bill 6 restricts the public consumption of illegal substances.   

More than 60 organizations across Ontario, including two in the Waterloo Region, formed a coalition to respond to the bill. The Encampment Justice Coalition has called on Premier Doug Ford not to move forward with Bill 6.  

“It is important to say that the people at the 100 Victoria encampment are already facing 24/7 security presence, constant police presence, and the looming threats of the eviction,” Jacara Droog, a social worker and housing advocate, said.   

While there are specified exemptions, the Act forbids the consumption of illegal substances in public spaces. Public spaces are places the public is invited to or permitted. This greatly limits the accessibility of shelters for residents.   

“There was a shift during the pandemic in terms of the availability of some of the more formal social services, as well as a shift to more people sheltering outside just because of concerns with safety and COVID transmission of an indoor congregate setting,” Laura Pin, Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Wilfrid Laurier University, said.   

Other by-laws that may affect the residents at 100Vic include the noise bylaw, which provides the general limitations of sound levels and sets out a minimum standard for noise and vibrations. They may also be affected by the nuisance bylaw, which regulates public nuisances or public situations that could be health hazards.  

“It’s been very difficult, because the Working Center has a construction project underway. Due to that, they fenced off an essential water tap, and it was even fenced off before a long weekend,” Droog said.  

The open air fire bylaw regulates the time and set up open-air fires are permitted.  

Non-compliance can result in an officer issuing an order to discontinue the activity, or a Provincial Offences Notice where charges are laid and fines imposed.  

For residents of 100Vic, the Lot Maintenance bylaw may also affect their quality of life.  

The bylaw regulates the basic standards for maintenance and aesthetics of the exterior portion of a property in the city and sets out grass cutting, garbage, wood storage, weed control and material disposal standards.  

“[Currently,] there are five giant industrial sized dumpsters, and they are surrounding the residents of 100Vic. I have sent in a reasonable request [to the region] of what the concrete rationale is for having five industrial sized dumpsters on site. When there was a higher population of people on site, there were only two dumpsters,” Droog said.  

The Regional Staff report concerning the Site-Specific Bylaw at 100 Vic (PDL-LEG-25-017)  does include some funds for housing: the Supportive Housing Units with $271,250 and the Scattered Site Rent Supplements with social support with $183,750.  

“[I am] not aware of anyone having been able to actually take advantage of either of these options (yet)—there is funding there, which is a good thing. Again, building these connections to connect people with housing is harder when there is an environment of criminalization, which Bill 6 creates,” Pin said.   

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