Toronto's clearing of encampments in 2021 lacked 'fairness, transparency, and accountability,' ombudsman says

The City of Toronto chose “speed over people” when it cleared homeless encampments at three downtown parks in the summer of 2021, says the city’s ombudsman.

In an 87-page report released Friday morning, Ombudsman Kwame Addo said that the city “showed significant unfairness” in the way it handled the clearing of these sites at Alexandra and Trinity Bellwoods Parks, and Lamport Stadium.

Specifically, Addo found that city was insufficient and inconsistent in its engagement with the park residents and “showed a lack of understanding about their reality.”

He also said the city was unclear in how it communicated with those living in the encampments as well as the public as it did not provide any dedicated on-site staff for residents to speak with.

“Encampments and supporting the people living in them are complex. But the City owes a particularly high duty of fairness to these residents,” he said. "Our investigation found the city displayed insufficient regard for the people it moved out of the parks. It failed to live up to its stated commitments to fairness and a human rights-based approach to housing."

The investigation led by Addo looked at how city planned the encampment clearings, engaged stakeholders, and communicated with the public.

Addo found that there was an unnecessary prioritization of urgency, which superseded the needs of those living there.

He also said that the city knew that encampment residents had “complex mental health needs,” yet failed to put plans in place to support them.

“The absence of mental health support on the day of the clearings was a serious gap and it must form a critical part of any future planning,” he said in a release.

“The city knew that people in encampments had complex mental health needs, yet they failed to include plans to address them.”

The ombudsman’s report provides 32 recommendations, including formalizing the creation of a group of city divisions with a diverse set of skills and expertise to lead its encampment response, prioritizing the needs of those living in the encampments if it is determined necessary to move them out, and creating a detailed plan outlining how it will support access to physical and mental health services for those living in encampments and engagement with residents that includes specific strategies for Indigenous communities as well as racialized and equity-deserving groups.

"While my recommendations will not solve all the challenges of encampments, it is my hope they will ensure that, from now on, the City responds to encampments and treats the people living in them with fairness, transparency, and accountability," said Addo.

“It is unrealistic to expect the City to solve the housing crisis on its own. Real solutions require the involvement of all levels of government. However, the City is responsible for treating its residents fairly, especially those experiencing housing precarity and homelessness.”

Ombudsman Toronto said it intends to monitor the city’s actions until it is satisfied that their recommendations have been successful implemented.

While Ombudsman Toronto cannot compel the city to take action, it recommends changes that aim to improve service to the public.