Ottawa homeless shelter receives $750,000 in donations after harassment from convoy protesters
Donations to an Ottawa homeless shelter have reached about three quarters of a million dollars after protesters from the ‘Freedom Convoy’ harassed staff and volunteers and demanded food from their soup kitchen.
More than 13,000 people have donated about $750,000 to the Shepherds of Good Hope since Jan. 30, the head of the shelter announced Thursday.
“What began with people wanting to make up for a few meals has now gone far beyond that,” president and CEO Deirdre Freiheit said in a video posted online.
“Thanks to this incredible unanticipated support, we can accelerate our efforts to end homelessness in our city by building more housing.”
The incident happened on Jan. 29, the first Saturday of the ‘Freedom Convoy’ protests in downtown Ottawa, according to Shepherds. They wrote on Twitter that staff and volunteers experienced harassment from convoy protesters seeking meals from the soup kitchen.
“The individuals were given meals to diffuse the conflict. Management was then informed of the issue and no further meals were given to protesters,” they said.
Freiheit also said one of the shelter’s clients was assaulted.
The incident sparked an outpouring of support for the shelter. They received more than 10,000 donations within a day or so, and said their fundraising teams would need some time to calculate the total raised.
The bulk of the funds will be put toward two supportive housing residences that Shepherds of Good Hope is building, which will house a combined 105 people.
One is at 1095 Merivale Road, and the other is at 216 Murray Street.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Breast cancer screening should start at age 40, Canadian Cancer Society says
The Canadian Cancer Society says all provinces and territories should lower the starting age for breast cancer screening to 40.
DEVELOPING Live updates as Stormy Daniels testifies at Trump hush money trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels is on the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Canadian-Israeli man shot dead in Egypt; claim links killing to Gaza
A Canadian man 'of Jewish Israeli descent' has been shot dead in the Egyptian city of Alexandria in a suspected criminal case, a security source said, while a previously unknown militant group said it carried out the attack in reaction to the war in Gaza.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Bank of Canada says financial system is stable, but risks remain
The Bank of Canada says the Canadian financial system is stable, but risks remain due to debt servicing costs among households and businesses and stretched valuations of financial assets.
BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.