Who knew that the yurt from the Occupy Toronto movement would end up a gift to the community of Attawapiskat and the folks that connected during the movement would join forces to make it happen? It took one Union, one Groovy Yurt guy, Toronto’s Design Museum, a prominent Law Firm and one housing idea: the first yurt of Occupy Toronto was destined to occupy Attawapiskat.
The Occupy movement in Toronto started in October when protesters marched to St. James Park and set up tents to protest the disparity between the have and the have-nots. Winter was just around the corner. OPSEU, along with six other unions, wanted to do something to support the protestors.
It took one conversation with Yves Ballenegger, owner of Groovy Yurts based in Gatineau Quebec to realize supplying the Occupiers with an authentic Mongolian yurt was the ideal solution. Yves imports yurts and furniture from Mongolia into Canada. He works with local families there and it in turn supports economic development in that country. Within fours days of the call, Yves was at St. James Park with three yurts.
