Episode Description
Despite court rulings saying they could stay, the Region of Waterloo has spent considerable effort trying to remove people living at the 100 Victoria Street encampment in Kitchener.
Aaron, from Fightback KW! talks about the conflicts the Region, the Police and even social workers instigate to try to push residents out. From the denial of services, a carceral approach and continued court battles, activists have had their hands full organizing to defend the rights of their unhoused neighbours.
The discussion is about the community that exists at the encampment, and the deliberate choices 'authorities' are making to punish anyone surviving in ways that defy the capitalist model.
"The structures that be have a vested interest in the situation of the people at the very bottom to be as bad as possible” - Aaron, Fightback KW
Hosted by: Jessa McLean
Produced by: Santiago Helou Quintero
Call to Action:
- Donate to Fightback KW via e-transfer fightback.kw(at)gmail(dot)com, or
- Drop off donations onsite or at Coven in Kitchener
Related Episodes:
- Rabble Rant: Housing Half Measures (Sept 2023) On Waterloo Outdoor Shelter 'Community'
- Resisting Toronto's Tactics Against the Unhoused (Sept 2024) Organizers with Voices for Unhoused Liberation share what they're doing to fight encampment evictions and against the war on the poor.
- Voices for Unhoused Liberation (May 2024) On strategy building, the limitations of advocacy work and the need for escalated direct actions.
More Resources:
- The Regional Municipality of Waterloo v. Persons Unknown and to be Ascertained – 2025 Litigation – Waterloo Region Community Legal Services
- Region ordered not to evict people from homeless encampment
- Bay Observer: Waterloo Shelter Formula
- Statement: FightBack @ 100Vic Full Time
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