Move-in date for Waterloo region's Erbs Road hybrid encampment set for April 15

A move-in date for Waterloo region's hybrid encampment on 1001 Erbs Rd. has been set for April 15, says the region's commissioner of community services.

In an update to regional councillors Tuesday, Peter Sweeney said concerns around providing electrical services have been dealt with and approvals for the construction have been met.

"We're moving fully ahead and we will likely have substantial completion and ownership by the end of the month as we promised, but it is going to take a little bit of time to get the community space set up," he said.

"So we're targeting April 15 as a full move-in date."

Sweeney said there will be an opportunity for staff to tour the site, but those dates are still in the works.

Outreach workers meeting with residents

Sweeney said regional staff have also been meeting with residents adjacent to the encampment and plan to continue that engagement.

The work to identify who will be living in the encampment is being managed by The Working Centre, which will be running the site, he added.

Joe Mancini, founder of The Working Centre, said outreach workers have been speaking with people living at shelters and different encampments in the region that have shown interest in going to the hybrid encampment.

"I think there is a list of 85 people who have shown interest at this point," he said, noting they haven't offered them anything official yet, until they get the official word on when the tiny homes will be available.

"Once that happens, that's going to go very quickly," he said.

The encampment will accommodate 50 people in tiny homes of about 10 square metres. Each home is expected to have basic amenities like heating and electricity.

There will be a communal hub that will have bathrooms, showers and laundry facilities.

Health, mental health and addiction supports will also be made available at the site.