Regina tent city organizers call for end to ‘revolving door’ of homelessness
Global News
Sunday marks day 10 since the first tent in Camp Marjorie was pitched in Regina's Core Community Park.
Sunday marks day 10 since the first tent in Camp Marjorie was pitched in Regina’s Core Community Park — also known as Pepsi Park — in the city’s heritage neighbourhood.
The encampment is named after a Regina woman who died earlier this month due to her struggles with homelessness and addiction.
Individuals who are helping with the tent city are hoping their efforts can prevent another unfortunate death from occurring.
After the province replaced the Saskatchewan Assistance Program (SAP) and the Transitional Employment Allowance (TEA) with the new Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) program, advocates say it has resulted in worsened, precarious situations in which people are unable to pay their rent and are looking for shelter and food elsewhere.
The ongoing pandemic hasn’t improved circumstances either.
As Sunday afternoon went on, numerous people could be seen bringing various kinds of meals, snacks and water to the site.
“First day, we had one tent, we are now up to 27 tents right now,” said Shylo Stevenson, communications officer for Regina Needle Recovery and Community Support (RFPS), one of the organizers of the camp.
“Approximately 20 to 40 people coming and going, social services do come in and take a lot of the residents from here and are lodging them in hotels around Regina right now,” he added.