Published April 25, 2024

Taylor Clark

LJI Reporter

The 48 heated tents that sheltered 56 people experiencing homelessness this winter are set to be removed from the Guertin encampment on May 15 as previously planned by the provider Devcore Group.

While the demolition of the Robert Guertin Centre has been postponed, the company’s director of communications and marketing, Sylvie Carbonneau, said the group will proceed with dismantling the organized camp.

Dubbed Camp Guertin, the initiative came together over 21 days to offer those who agreed to its conditions a warm tent equipped with a camping bed and quilted cushion, sleeping bag heater, electric blanket, chair, extension cord, lighting, as well as storage.

Carbonneau said Devcore was still fine tuning the procedures to dismantle the camp but had been in contact with those residing in the tents daily and they were aware of the mid-May deadline since the camp inception.

The director of communications and marketing said the decision was primarily motivated by concern for the health and safety of those using the tents.

“The red tents provided were designed for ice fishing and are not suitable for the milder spring temperatures. Since they do not have mosquito nets, they do not allow for air circulation. Additionally, their placement on asphalt leads to excessive heat absorption by the ground, creating a heat island,” said Carbonneau.

But the removal of the red tents does not signal the end of the initiative. Carbonneau said Devcore was already working with the Ville de Gatineau and the Centre intégré de santé et des services sociaux de l’Outaouais to implement the second phase of the project, called the Transition Space.

In this next phase, Camp Guertin will function as a transitional space to a semi-permanent approach for those experiencing homelessness over two to five years. The space will include containers designed to provide affordable housing for more than 100 people while promoting a sense of community and belonging.

On top of providing shelter, the Transition Space will be designed to encourage socializing, collective cooking and even gardening in a community garden. “The idea is to offer residents not only shelter but also opportunities to actively participate in the daily and social life of the community,” the company wrote in a release assessing the success of Camp Guertin.

Photo caption: Devcore Group’s Camp Guertin initiative allowed more than 50 people experiencing homelessness to stay warm during the winter at the Guertin site.

Photo credit: Devcore Group website

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