Former Regina tent encampment residents stay at Balgonie motel temporarily
CTV
Following the dismantling of the tent encampment at Regina City Hall, some residents were sent to stay in a Balgonie motel over the weekend.
Following the dismantling of the tent encampment at Regina City Hall, some residents were sent to stay in a Balgonie motel over the weekend.
In a statement, the Ministry of Social Services confirmed hotel rooms in Regina and Balgonie “were secured to provide immediate safe shelter to individuals who accept it.”
“The ministry worked with other human service ministries, agencies, and community-based organizations to mobilize all available resources to support the community, to connect people to the emergent and ongoing services they need, including food, transportation and shelter,” the statement read.
Community volunteer Mandla Mthembu, who helped at the tent encampment, knew of at least eight people who temporarily stayed at the motel in Balgonie over the weekend.
He said it created even more of a disconnect for those who are in need of a sense of community.
“If you ask the people who are actually forced to be in that situation, it just doesn’t work for their lifestyle, or anyone’s life, to just be upended like that and not know whether you’re going to be in the city you call your home by Monday and how that’s going to happen,” Mthembu said.
He said volunteers were in contact with those staying in Balgonie to ensure they had a safe ride back to the city once they checked out of the motel at noon on Monday.
