'Unacceptable conditions:' Protesters rally for more shelter supports ahead of Toronto council meeting
The high noon sun bounced off City Hall’s two towers, but the ground below was still iced over and cold. Nonetheless, dozens of Torontonians laid down on the frozen square Monday, dramatizing sleeping on the street.
“Life is really, really fragile and really worth protecting, and that’s at the bare minimum what the city should be doing to ensure that people don’t actually have to sleep on the pavement,” Susan Bender, manager of the Toronto Drop-In Network, told CTV News Toronto.
The protesters rallying outside the doors of Toronto City Hall called on council to increase shelter spaces and other social supports, ahead of a series of council votes that would determine the fate of certain temporary shelters and warming centres, as well as operating spending.
“We see people sleeping outside and in stairwells, trying to stay in coffee shops and ride the TTC all night,” one protester said. “It’s really unacceptable conditions.”
The Shelter Housing Justice Network (SHJN) is calling on city council to keep warming centres open 24-7 for the rest of the winter, instead of operating them only when the temperature drops to -15 C. According to city data, 99 per cent of warming centre spaces were occupied on Friday during the extreme cold weather warning.
“I’ve lost a lot of friends, just from being homeless, friends that were frozen to death, that passed out in the cold and then were found deceased,” Kat Clouse, who used to be homeless, told CTV News Toronto.
Council will also consider Tuesday a call for the declaration of homelessness as a public health crisis in Toronto.
The SHJN is also calling on council to keep the doors open on five shelters that opened during the pandemic and are slated to close this year, as the city transitions away from the temporary sites.
It is also asking that the proposed nearly $50-million increase to the police budget be redirected to funding safe shelters, instead of more officers on the street and in the transit system.
“The reality is that people who are unhoused might be riding the train to stay warm because there are no options for people to go,” shouted one protester.
“Mayor Tory’s primary concern in winter months, and all year, is to make sure the City of Toronto is continuing to support our most vulnerable residents,” Mayor John Tory’s office told CTV News Toronto in a statement, adding that there are 9,000 shelter beds in the city’s 2023 budget, up from 6,000 pre-pandemic.
But a December city staff report indicated that despite this increase, the shelter system is at full capacity most nights.
“I just don’t want to see it again,” Clouse said of the deaths related to the extreme cold. “It’s really got to stop.”
City council meets Tuesday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Party's over: Coyotes play final game as Arizona franchise before move to Salt Lake City
Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the two years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah.