A Better Tent City

ABTC began as a low barrier/housing first approach to provide an opportunity to move unsheltered people from dangerous conditions on the streets into a more safe and supportive community.

They have been successful in achieving their goal to provide protection from the environment, adequate access to hygiene and sanitation facilities, and connection to services and healthcare on a path to stable housing.

The name was chosen intentionally as they have been continuously improving since day one. 

Every day, week and month this community becomes a better tent city. 

They became better than most tent cities the day they had a willing landlord, washrooms on site and access to a makeshift kitchen.

Life got better when:

• They built showers and laundry facilities.
• When the Sanguen mobile health clinic, harm reduction and outreach services began to make regular visits,
• and when residents moved from tents into cabins.

Life at ABTC became even better when the Foodbank of Waterloo Region began weekly deliveries and volunteers from across the region organized to ensure that a hearty healthy evening meal is prepared every day.

Life got better when residents began to work alongside these volunteers to cook with and for their community and when caring relationships built on trust began to develop with volunteers.

It got even better when an onsite addictions treatment program was established and when opportunities were created for residents to earn money for some of the work that they do to support the community.

Funds raised will help ABTC to continue to improve and to support their move to a new location as they begin the next evolution of this innovative project. 

A Better Tent City has been recognized as Canada’s Top 100 Recovery Projects by the Future of Good.