Most Downtown Encampment Residents Moves to Temporary Shelters
- Tuesday, February 20th, 2024 - 3:00 pm
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The encampment at St. George’s Square, is reducing in size as its residents have started to relocate, with many moving into the Fairfield Inn.
This move was facilitated by a $633,000 federal funding allocation announced by the County of Wellington to assist those experiencing homelessness during the winter. Jeff Dillon, a resident of the encampment, expressed mixed feelings about the temporary accommodation, highlighting the transient nature of the solution and the ongoing challenge of securing permanent housing in a market where one-bedroom apartments average $1,979 a month.
Dillon and others have chosen high-visibility locations like the square to raise awareness of homelessness issues. All but one resident of the square have accepted hotel accommodations, and there are efforts to clean up the encampment.
Greg Dorval is moving his tent to the square to continue advocating for homelessness solutions, while Jason Hartung, who has faced homelessness after eviction and struggles with addiction, is also temporarily housed and assisting with cleanup efforts.
Hartung reflects on the broader issues of housing insecurity and the impact on the community, hoping for more permanent solutions from the county before the temporary funding runs out.
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