There have been many tent cities in Victoria over the past 6 years, reflecting the daily displacement and criminalization of homeless people and the failure of government programs that are more about managing and concealing homelessness than ending it. Super InTent City and SIC Society show the power of unhoused people to politically unite and manage their own homes and lives. Even though Super InTent City was forcibly dismantled in August 2016, the struggle continues and people continue to organize. Visit intentcity.ca for ongoing news.
Super In-Tent City, Victoria
In Victoria Alliance Against Displacement works with SIC Society (formed by residents of Super InTent City, a tent city that operated from 2015-2016), other people living in temporary or otherwise precarious housing and in punitive ‘supportive’ housing, and housed supporters such as Homes Not Hate. Our focus is ending violence against people living in poverty, especially violence caused by governments, cops, NIMBYs, social workers, and others through criminalization, containment, surveillance, and other systematic means of marginalizing, excluding, and punishing people for being poor.
Recent news from Super In-Tent City
- Continuing the fight for Homes Not Jails April 3, 2017We agreed to move from tent city to 844 Johnson Street on the promise that housing would improve our living conditions not make them worse. We were promised that Portland Hotel Society (PHS) would offer us *different* housing than the institutional, supportive housing we had experienced in the past. We were promised rights as renters […]intentcityvic
- Press Release: Super InTent City Residents Release Housing Demands on Eviction Day August 8, 2016FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (August 8 2016) VICTORIA, LEKWUNGEN TERRITORY: Monday, August 8th marks the court ordered eviction day for residents of Super InTent City (SIC). After almost 10 months, many will move on to permanent, supportive housing at the former Central Care Home, the hard won victory of tent city. On this day, residents of […]intentcityvic
- Fighting the Fence July 14, 2016On Saturday, July 9th the BC government erected a 12-foot tall, metal fence around Super InTent City. The newspaper reports that the purpose of the fence is to keep new people out as per the court ruling that says no new homeless can move into Super InTent City. There is talk about the fence providing […]intentcityvic
- People unite to challenge Canada’s housing ministers July 5, 2016On Tuesday, June 28th, residents and supporters of Super InTent City were joined by low-income people, those living in tent cities, and facing displacement on the mainland, to rally outside a meeting of federal, provincial and territorial housing ministers in Victoria. Armed with banners and loud voices, protesters attempted to hand deliver a letter with […]intentcityvic
- Social profiling of InTent City residents distracts from the real issue: Housing June 12, 2016Responding to studies detailing alarming rates of discrimination against people who are street-involved and racialized youth in Victoria, in 2013 the City of Victoria endorsed the Community Action Plan on Discrimination (CAP-D) as a means of fulfilling the City’s commitment to human rights and non-discrimination. CAP-D works with individuals and communities who are directly and […]intentcityvic
- Press Release: Academics Call on BC Government to End Homelessness, Not Tent Cities May 27, 2016Click here for PDF version of release and original 101 signatories FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (May 27, 2016) VICTORIA, LEKWUNGEN TERRITORY: More than 100 academics and researchers from across BC are calling on Premier Christy Clark and Minister of Housing Rich Coleman to abandon legal efforts to dismantle Super InTent City. The letter has been issued […]intentcityvic
- Homes Not Hate! May 3, 2016On April 29 Super InTent CityZens and supporters went to the Legislature to share donuts and viewpoints with people gathered for a rally calling for an end to Super InTent City. It was a day of good discussion and a strong stand against poor-bashing and hate in our communities.intentcityvic
- Press Release: Tent City Residents Oppose the Management of their Homes and Lives April 19, 2016FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (April 19, 2016) VICTORIA, LEKWUNGEN TERRITORY: On Thursday, April 14th, the Provincial government announced plans to contract Portland Hotel Society (PHS) to manage Super InTent City (SIC), the tent city on the Victoria Courthouse lawn. After meeting with PHS representatives, SIC has decided to insist on their own self-management of their camp […]intentcityvic
- No Dam Way April 13, 2016Gordon August and Kyle Wright stopped by Super InTent City to offer a song and support from the Site C Dam protest camp in Vancouver. Community! Solidarity!intentcityvic
- Welcome to Super InTent City! March 26, 2016There are a lot of people talking about homelessness these days. Not very many of those people are homeless. We want people to be talking about homelessness, but we want people to have informed opinions. We do not want to be spoken for. We hope this site helps! Super InTent City (SIC) is a leader […]intentcityvic
For more information and analysis about organizing by SIC Society and AAD in Victoria, take a look at the following articles published in The Volcano.
Social work as social control: By Joshua Goldberg & Flora Pagan