Ontario woman donates home to Indigenous community
An Ontario woman is giving her land back to the Indigenous community and is hoping to inspire others to do the same.
When Lidia Tromp was faced with moving into a nursing home, she knew what she wanted to do with the house that she lived in for 55 years.
"God put it in my head and my heart to give [the house] away," Tromp said in a news release from Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services (OAHS) on Friday. "It was such a liberating thought. Good will come from it, I'm sure."
She bought the house in Tillsonburg, near London, Ont., after moving to Canada from Holland – where she was born and raised.
Upon moving into the house, she found a set of iron bookends inside a cupboard that would later inspire her to give back to the Indigenous community. The item depicting "a person slumped over on the back of a horse" represented "the suffering of Indigenous people from their loss of land, children, and other forms of oppression," she said.
Often working several jobs simultaneously to pay the mortgage, she still found the time to give back to her community. Over the course of her life, she has made over 10,000 handcrafted dolls and has sent some to young children in other countries.
With the help of her lawyer, the Sault Ste. Marie-based OAHS was contacted in June, and after an inspection was completed, the donation was accepted.
Lidia Tromp was gifted a necklace by Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services (Supplied)
"She has the kindest, gentlest, and most giving heart and soul of anyone I have ever met and likely will ever meet. I was honored to be the representative from OAHS to meet Lidia, I was incredibly moved," Wanda Chorney, the manager of title services for the organization, said in the news release.
The donation of the home will help provide an Indigenous family with safe and affordable rental housing. OAHS prioritizes individuals and families escaping violence, this includes women and children who are living in shelters, victims of sex trafficking, and people experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of becoming homeless.
"I hope things work out better now for the Native nation than what has been done so far," Tromp said.
OAHS manages and maintains the properties in the rental housing programs and also offers a homeownership program.
No one has yet moved into the home donated by Tromp, spokesperson Sarah McBain told CTV News in an email.
Tromp is currently residing in a care facility in Tillsonburg.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Video shows suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Ottawa injects another $36M into fund for those seriously injured or killed by vaccines
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Ex-SNC executive sentenced to prison term in bridge bribery case
The RCMP says a former SNC-Lavalin executive has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme for a bridge repair contract in Montreal.