Woolwich Township requires A Better Tent City (ABTC) to go through Planning Process

Woolwich, ON – Woolwich Township would like to provide an update following the additional discussion of the A Better Tent City (ABTC) proposal at Council on the evening of Tuesday, June 8^th, 2021.

Council is appreciative of the informative and heartfelt presentations from the ABTC representatives, residents, and other interested individuals from across the region as it offered an opportunity to provide Council with additional information to consider as part of their deliberations.

Following Council debate, Council unanimously approved the following motion:

WHEREAS the At Better Tent City (ABTC) group has requested that they be permitted to move to the Spitzig Road property based on compassionate grounds;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council requires that ABTC go through an appropriate and regular planning application process;

BE IT FURTHERMORE RESOLVED THAT Township staff be asked to continue working with the Region, Cities and other Townships on a suitable interim site and a long-term solution for ABTC.

“Council appreciates the work of ABTC and feels for the residents and the difficult position in which they find themselves.   We have an approval process to guide us through difficult issues like this one, and ensure issues are adequately addressed, and this is the route we are asking them to take”, said Mayor Sandy Shantz.

Council also acknowledged the broader housing and homelessness issues across the Region; and supported the continued advocacy to upper levels of government to partner and address these issues.  With the approval of this motion the next steps for following due process will be for the ABTC group to submit a complete planning application for consideration, which will initiate a full public consultation process and allow for further community engagement.

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Rae Ann Bauman, Corporate Communications – rbauman@woolwich.ca