Frustrated residents protest Stratford's housing crisis

A small but vocal group of residents gathered outside city hall Monday evening.

Article content Chants of “this is what community looks like” and “unhoused rights are human rights” rang out from a small group of protesters who demonstrated outside of city hall before Monday evening’s council meeting. The event was led by local housing advocate and council election candidate Tanner Bergsma, who noted that the lack of adequate housing is not a new issue. Recommended Videos “For a long time, Stratfordians have been dealing with a lack of adequate housing and rising costs,” he said.

While all three levels of government have a responsibility when it comes to housing, the city has control over municipal spaces that could be turned into housing. Bergsma, though, believes spaces that could be used for housing aren’t being utilized. “It’s all about priorities, is what it really comes down to at the end of the day,” he said.

“And we need to be wiser when it comes down to our use of resources that we have in our community.” Another organizer, Rebekah Zinger, pointed to the fact that there are nearly 85,000 homeless people in Ontario. While a few city councillors are doing what they can, Zinger said, she doesn’t think it’s enough.

“The community has to stand up and tell them that we want to keep our residents safe. We want them to be housed, and we’ll all do whatever we can to get this done,” she said, adding that there have already been discussions about doing local social impact funds. Group opposes rezoning of former church During the protest, Bergsma expressed particular concern about one property that was discussed at the council meeting – St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, located at 133 Home Street, which recently ceased operations.

RGA Counselling and The Space Within, a private counselling service, is seeking to turn the building into a clinic and small gathering space. Doing so would not be beneficial for the community, Bergsma said. “With Stratford facing an increased level of homelessness, some of the residents are fighting back to advocate for affordable housing and transitional housing to take those spaces like the church and turn it into places that can actually help the unhoused get housed,” he added.

Morgan Kneider Patterson, a co-owner of RGA Counselling and The Space Within who presented at the meeting, noted there are several reasons why this location makes sense, including accessibility to its clients, location on a bus route, and its ability to offer both confidential entrances and a discreet environment. “Approving this rezoning is more than approving a building,” she said. “It’s about creating greater access to care.

It’s about supporting local professionals, and it’s about investing in health and well-being in our community.” While no decision was set to be made by council, a few other residents spoke out against the proposal during the public comment period of the meeting, including Zak Zinger, who directly called out council, saying their “priorities are not straight.” “You guys are not speaking for us,” he said.

“You’re speaking for yourselves. The fact that we have to go through a city council is not how it should be. I should be able to show up to this podium any day of the week and talk.”

Zinger was visibly frustrated when no council members responded to his invitation to ask him questions. “You guys have nothing to say because there’s still unhoused folks out there that are sleeping in tents, and you guys have nothing to say about that,” he said. Following the meeting, Mayor Martin Ritsma explained that while the property was zoned residential, nothing came forward regarding housing.

“It is in a residential area, but a lot of the time churches are places where people meet for counselling and become part of the community,” he said, adding that this property is not a solution for the homelessness problem. “I think that this organization that has come forward will exist well in that community.”