Homeless advocacy group stops in Kamloops to kick off five-day ‘Tent City Tour’

They have traveled to Kamloops to speak to the local homeless population and gather information about what life is like in this city.

“It sounds like they do have similar issues that we had, not necessarily with the bylaw, but with the people not caring to see the homeless. Just because you’re not seen doesn’t mean you’re not there,” said Eva Bardonnex.

Bardonnex has joined the tour as one of seven homeless activists.

She played a part in organizing the Anita Place Tent City in Maple Ridge.

“We banded together,” Bardonnex said. “We used to have meetings at our camp. We had rules, guidelines that we actually stuck to.”

Residents of the tent city eventually won housing for themselves in the form of supportive modular units.

However, Bardonnex isn’t fully satisfied with the arrangement.

“A lot of us didn’t need the support, we needed the housing,” she said. “We didn’t need people to tell us how to live, we needed people to let us have a place to live.”

Isabel Krupp with the Alliance Against Displacement says the organization of tent cities creates a visibility that leads to change.

“The only way we can improve the conditions of homeless people in our cities is by homeless people banding together, organizing, becoming a political force with a political voice and fighting for what they need.”

The group arrived in Kamloops Monday evening (Nov. 4), spending time at the Mustard Seed, speaking to people about their experiences.

Some people told them services in the city are inadequate and that supportive housing feels like jail.

“They say that they’re signing away their rights in order to live in those buildings,” Krupp said. “One person was evicted because the staff didn’t like her boyfriend. One person was evicted because she went through a traumatic experience and started using again. They kicked her out on the streets and people have no where to stay.”

As the group explored services available in Kamloops, they met with the executive director of ASK Wellness, Bob Hughes.

ASK Wellness operates multiple supportive housing facilities in Kamloops.

Hughes says he doesn’t want to see anyone go without a home.

“That’s the last thing that we wish to do is see somebody displaced from their unit and to not actually be able to be successful,” Hughes said. “We make every effort we possibly can to ensure that the person understands that our goal is to try to help them to be good tenants, to be good community members, be part of community.”

Hughes adds the rules set in place for those living in supportive housing units are there to keep all tenants safe.

“I think it’s essential to recognize supportive housing has a very diverse mix of people that are residing in the buildings,” he said. “There’s some folks that are very, very vulnerable and compromised and benefit from having the restrictions I guess we’d call them, but the expectations for what’s happening.”

The Alliance Against Displacement plans to spend one more night in Kamloops before moving on to Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton.

“This is just the start,” Krupp said. “We really want to make connections and build a network across the whole province. We’re starting to establish some connections, we’re starting to find out what life is like here. It’s a lot like life is back home. And the next step is figuring out how to organize beyond our own local sites of struggle.”

by Jill Sperling

Homeless advocacy group stops in Kamloops to kick off five-day ‘Tent City Tour’

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