The Kitchener encampment at 100 Victoria St. is a problem the Region of Waterloo just can’t seem to shake.
The parcel of land has been the site of a homeless encampment for several years, but it will also be a key staging location for the construction of the Waterloo Region transit hub.
Last year, regional council passed a site-specific bylaw that would require the residents to leave by Dec. 31, 2025 and would issue trespass fines against anyone who remained at the site after the eviction date.
But the bylaw has faced intense backlash, with opponents claiming it violates the charter rights of the residents.
An earlier version of the bylaw was ruled to be in violation of the charter because the region lacked sufficient shelter space to accommodate the displaced residents.
A legal review was to occur this past November, but it was pushed back until February 2026.
During the delay, council passed amendments it hoped would appease the courts to allow the review to proceed in its favour.
Some of those amendments included pushing back the eviction date to April 1, 2026 and removing the trespass fines.
In an email to 570 NewsRadio, the region said, “The February hearing dates have been adjourned, and new dates are being scheduled based on the Court’s schedule.”
There is no indication when the hearings might resume.
