About Us

We acknowledge that living in an 8X10 cabin is not a solution to the homelessness crisis. 

It is, however, better than living rough. 

Our Vision

We envision a time when the right to housing is truly understood as a human right and everyone has access to a safe supported and respectful alternative to living rough. 

Our Mission

With a commitment to supporting our residents to live in community, with dignity and with access to essential supports, we work in partnership with local community service organizations to continuously improve the quality of life at A Better Tent City.  

Our Values

Compassion | Respect | Dignity | Hope

Our Story

Housing is a Human Right, and we believe that everyone should have a home.

In April 2020, a broad cross-section of people including those living rough, service providers, community members and municipal staff met with Ron Doyle, our willing landlord, to discuss the potential for creating a better tent city in an industrial lot in Kitchener Ontario. This resulted in the creation of a small self-organized community of people built on respect for each other and for their shared home.

ABTC began as a low barrier/housing first approach to provide an opportunity to move people experiencing homelessness from dangerous conditions on the streets into a more safe and supportive community with protection from the environment, access to hygiene and sanitation facilities, and connection to services and healthcare on a path to stable housing

Our name was chosen intentionally. ABTC is not perfect but has been continuously improving since day one. Every day, week and month we become a better tent city. ABTC began better than most tent cities as we had a willing landlord, washrooms on site and access to a shared space with a make shift kitchen. 

Life at ABTC got better when: 

• we built showers and laundry facilities, 

• when the Sanguen mobile health clinic, ACCKWA harm reduction and special outreach services began to make regular visits,

• when residents moved from tents into cabins.

And then better when: 

• the Foodbank of Waterloo Region began weekly deliveries 

• The Community Kitchen Co-operative of KW began to organize volunteers to ensure that a hearty, healthy evening meal is prepared every day, 

• when residents began to work alongside these volunteers to cook with and for their community 

• when caring relationships built on trust began to develop with volunteers  

And life got even better when:
In January 2021, on an onsite methadone treatment program was established, and when we created opportunities for residents to be paid for some of the work that they do to support the community.