A court hearing centred around the Region of Waterloo’s plans to move people out of an encampment at 100 Victoria St. N., in Kitchener will resume Thursday.

The return to court comes after mediation talks fell through in December. Proceedings are expected to last for three days.

The region says the property is needed by Metrolinx as it makes plans to raise tracks for a new transit hub that will be built at the corner of King and Victoria streets.

Tents at the 100 Victoria St. encampment first went up in early 2022. The region attempted to evict people from the site later that same year, but in January 2023, a Kitchener judge ruled the region couldn’t evict people from the site unless they gave them another place to live.

In April of this year, regional council passed a site specific bylaw for 100 Victoria St. N., that would allow the region to clear the lot. The bylaw made it illegal for anyone to live on the site after Dec. 1, 2025.

However, as the case remains before the courts, people will not need to move off the site for now.

The region says there are no delays expected in its transit hub project.

What to expect in court

Thursday in court is expected to begin with the Region of Waterloo presenting its case to Justice Michael Gibson.

Justice Gibson will also be hearing from three interveners who were appointed.

The interveners represent specific intersecting interests like the impact on Indigenous encampment members. They are from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, Aboriginal Legal Services and the Charter Committee on Poverty Issues.