Toronto's homeless community demands better winter plan from city
Toronto's homeless community and their supporters are demanding a better plan from the city for the coming winter.
The Shelter Housing Justice Network, which represents members of the homeless community and those who work with them, issued a report Tuesday with several recommendations.
The group wants the city to extend leases it holds on hotels that are used to house the homeless during the pandemic.
The group also wants to city to allow the homeless to camp in public spaces.
"The city must repeal the no-camping bylaw," said Greg Cook, an outreach worker at Sanctuary Ministries Toronto. "People have the right to exist."
Homeless encampments popped up throughout the city when COVID-19 hit in March 2020. Hundreds fled shelters for fear of contracting the virus.
The city won a court battle last year that upheld its powers to enact and enforce the no-camping bylaw.
This past summer, the city cleared three encampments in public parks, some of it by force from the police riot squad. The city said the encampments were not safe.
The overdose crisis in the province is also hitting the homeless at a much higher rate than the general public.
On Tuesday, advocates added 16 names -- many John Does -- on a memorial for homeless people who have died on the streets and in shelters during August and September.
"We are in the middle of an escalating overdose crisis," Cook said at the memorial outside the Holy Trinity church.
"Our loved ones and fiends are dying. Half of the people who die without housing die of drug toxicity -- this is alarming and must be addressed."
Jennifer Jewell, who lived in an encampment before taking the city's offer to move in to a shelter hotel downtown 10 months ago, said safe housing should be the city's highest priority.
"We need housing now, people need to be provided safe spaces to heal, they need homes," Jewell said.
While shelter hotels provide a room, she said the city needs to offer more harm reduction because she's seen many die in her hotel alone. She said it took the city 11 months to set up a peer-support program to help with the overdoses.
"Please help us," Jewell said. "Police are no solution."
The city did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the groups' recommendations.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 12, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Minister 'outraged' after AFN national chief's headdress taken from Air Canada cabin
The federal minister of Crown-Indigenous relations is calling on Air Canada to 'make things right' with the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, who said her headdress was removed from an airplane cabin during a flight this week.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Canada recognizes housing as a human right. Few provinces have followed suit
As more Canadians find themselves struggling to afford or find housing, the country's smallest province is the only one that can point to legislation recognizing housing as a human right.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.