A volunteer at a camp says it’s “ridiculous” to think there’s something better
Even though people had been told they had to leave, dozens of tents were still up in front of Regina city hall on Friday morning.
Police and fire officials in Regina were met with hostility on Thursday when they told people they planned to clean up the area by the weekend.
On Thursday, some people living in the camp said they have no plans to leave. People who want to help have said they will stand with them.
“Overdoses happen all over the city. Mandla Mthembu, a volunteer at a camp, said on CBC Radio’s “The Current” that people are always dying in the city because of how dangerous it is to live on the streets. The Morning Edition on Friday.
“To say that was a better choice than the tents, the services, and the community we’ve built here in the past 40 days was just ridiculous,” they said.
At a news conference on Thursday afternoon, Regina Fire and Protective Services Chief Layne Jackson said that after responding to three fires at the encampment in the past five days, his department was getting more worried about the possibility of a big fire.
Because of this, Jackson said he was doing what he was allowed to do under the Fire Safety Act, saying that the people living there were at “imminent risk” and that closing down the camp was the best way to save lives.
Jackson said, “As of right now, they need to start packing up their things and leaving the property.” “If they don’t, we’re going to clean up the property.”
The news came after a special meeting of the city council that was supposed to happen Thursday afternoon was canceled because there weren’t enough council members to make a quorum. The meeting’s goal was to tell the city government what to do about the tent camp.
Regina Mayor Sandra Masters said Thursday that it’s “unfortunate” that the residents have to leave, but that the fire department has her “full support.”
City Hall is closed on Friday, but it will be back in business as soon as the camp is taken down.
WATCH | People living in a homeless camp at Regina city hall are told they have to leave:
Residents and volunteers were angr
Residents and volunteers like Mthembu are upset about the decision to clear out the camp.
Mthembu said that volunteers were always working with emergency services and community groups for the whole time the camp was open.
He also said that he’s not sure the people who live in the camp will be safe if they have to leave.
“They said they would set up temporary shelters and other things,” Mthembu said. “But they do that every time there are camps and other things like this.”
“At the same time next week, the same number of people will be homeless and in the same situation as before the camp.”
Listen: Residents and volunteers are upset that a tent camp is being closed down.
A report that was to be given to city council on Thursday said that on July 25, there were 83 tents at the camp outside of city hall. The camp was set up on June 15.
Mthembu said there aren’t enough shelter beds for the city’s homeless crisis, and some shelters aren’t set up to help people with drug problems, but the camp is.
According to the report, Regina city hall employees have become more worried as the camp has grown.
Mthembu would like to see more compassion for people who are homeless or who have problems with drugs.
Mthembu said, “If any of us had to live like this every day for months or years, I think we would all want the same for ourselves and want more than just to know that we’ll be safe tonight.”