Ontario landlord posts ad charging $500 for tent space in private encampment

A shocking rental listing in Ontario was offering up property for people to pitch their tents on for a price in a scheme that is being called "a private encampment" and a shocking development in the province's housing crisis.

A since-deleted Kijiji ad from Barrie appeared to target individuals currently struggling in the encampments that have popped up in city parks around the province with the title "HELP for people in Homeless Tent encampment Private Property."

"We are welcoming people who are living in their tents encampment [sic] to set up on our cottage property in the town of Innisfil Ontario. Private Property," the first line of the ad, which still appears in a Google search, reads.

The ad, though deleted, still shows up in a Google search.

Local outlet Innisfil Today stated that the rent was listed as $500, though the listing didn't specify if that was a per-month price.

The ad also allegedly said tenants would have access to electricity, a bathroom, a community fridge in a common kitchen, and even "job opportunities."

this week in the housing crisis: "for-profit homeless encampment" is a phrase I just read https://t.co/VAKYXanW8G

— John Michael McGrath (@jm_mcgrath) April 11, 2024

While many residents are balking at the concept of a "for-profit encampment" and how bad the GTA's housing market has become, others are more concerned with the fact that staff of a local politician, Barrie-Innisfil MPP Andrea Khanjin, inadvertently forwarded individuals seeking shelter to the property at 25th Sideroad.

"Who had 'for-profit homeless encampment' on their 2024 Bingo cards?? Really, it should not be that surprising," one shocked local wrote on X Thursday.

Others simply responded to both the listing and the MPP office snafu with a "what the f***."

What is a for-profit homesless encampment. I don’t understand.

— Leah (@LKocmarek) April 12, 2024

A representative of a local housing justice network told Innisfil Today that it appeared that the person behind the ad may have meant well, but offered their property on terms that were undeniably "pretty exploitative of people in a very vulnerable position."