'Unnecessarily cruel': Toronto sends eviction notices to encampment in churchyard
People living in an encampment outside Saint Stephen-In-The-Fields Church have been given notice by the City of Toronto to pack up and leave, even though the tents were pitched in the yard with the church’s blessing.
“I don’t know why they’re doing this,” said Reverend Maggie Helwig. “People have been here for over six months. We have not had any serious problems. It just seems unnecessarily cruel.”
According to the notice of violation, the occupants of the encampment near Kensington Market are dwelling in and obstructing the street, despite being in the churchyard.
Rev. Helwig says it was believed this was church land, but the City of Toronto advised them that, according to its archives, the land is in fact a transportation right of way and public property.
“It is morally and ethically the churchyard,” Rev. Helwig said, adding for as long as she has been leading the church, there has been at least one person sleeping and seeking refuge there every night.
“The city has never maintained it. The city has never taken an interest in it until this moment,” she said.
What changed was that about six months ago there was a proliferation of tents. The number of people staying there fluctuates on a given day. According to the city, at last count there were 11 tents and four full-time occupants.
Not everyone is sleeping on public land. There are a few occupants nestled beside the wall. Rev. Helwig says it’s unclear if they and their belongings will be removed as well, but they are implicated in a second notice sent by the city on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for the City of Toronto says the encampment “is located in a City right of way and on private property.”
“Many of the occupants of the tents located on site have voluntarily engaged with outreach staff and have been provided with offers of service and indoor accommodations,” they said in a statement to CTV News Toronto.
“The City cannot force people to come inside and avail themselves of the many services offered by the City, but living in an encampment in a City park is unhealthy and illegal,” the statement continued.
“Occupants of the encampment on the City right-of-way in front of the Church were provided with 14 days notice of trespass enforcement on November 24. The City reserves the right to enforce the notice any time after the 14 day period.”
Taylor Deasley with Mayor John Tory’s office echoed the statement.
“We have supported helping thousands to come safely inside, and thousands more to move from the shelter system into more stable, long-term housing,” said Deasley, adding there have been 55 people moved into safe indoor shelter in the last week.
“The Mayor continues to support the work underway to build more deeply affordable and supportive housing to provide people with supports and a pathway out of homelessness,” Deasley said.
Rev. Helwig says in some cases, occupants of the encampment have been advised there is place in respite services, but there is no guarantee of accommodation night to night, and they would have to part with their tents and much of their belongings.
A second notice from the city was delivered to the church on Nov. 30, saying debris and belongings that are not tents are a bylaw infraction and must be removed by next Monday, or they will be cleared at the church’s expense.
The church has a long history of outreach and support, and is “known as a place that doesn’t turn people away,” Rev. Helwig said. It was one of only a handful of organizations that never halted its drop-in programs during the pandemic.
When CTV News Toronto first visited the encampment in October, a man who identified himself as Danny said he was afraid to seek refuge in a shelter for his own safety.
Danny said he had lost his job and his home living in Wasaga Beach, and came to Toronto to be closer to available resources to help him stay on his feet.
“We try to be good neighbours,” he said, adding he routinely cleans the outskirts of the encampment of debris, or used needles he says are left nearby by other people who don’t live in the encampment—something Danny says is especially troubling to him, with a daycare down the street.
The encampment residents have been given a deadline of Dec. 8 to leave. Rev. Helwig says only one—a woman who has cancer and is receiving treatment in her tent—has potential to find housing by that date through Streets To Homes.
Members of the church and allies are planning a demonstration beside the encampment for Dec. 8.
The Anglican Bishop of Toronto Andrew Asbil is expected to attend, as well as artist Timothy Schmalz, celebrated for the series of statues entitled Homeless Jesus, the first of which was displayed in Toronto but have since been placed around the world including outside Saint Peter’s Basilica.
Helwig says he will be constructing a cage to surround the panhandling messiah, which sits outside the church, until the city “stops criminalizing homelessness.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Most of the city is evacuating': Gridlock on Alberta highway after evacuation order in Fort McMurray
Four Fort McMurray neighbourhoods were ordered to evacuate on Tuesday as a wildfire gets closer to the city.
Sask. police seize 1.5M pieces of evidence, lay 60 more charges in child exploitation case
Saskatchewan RCMP have revealed that a historic sexual assault investigation has led to the discovery of alleged crimes against children dating back to 2005.
'Inappropriate' behaviour shuts down Dublin to New York City portal
Less than a week after two public sculptures featuring a livestream between Dublin, Ireland, and New York City debuted, 'inappropriate behaviour' in real-time interactions between people in the two cities has prompted a temporary shutdown.
Oilers starting Calvin Pickard in goal for Game 4 vs. Canucks
The Edmonton Oilers will start Calvin Pickard in net Tuesday for Game 4 of their playoff series with the Vancouver Canucks.
Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker rails against Pride month, working women in commencement speech
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker railed against Pride month, working women, President Biden's leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and abortion during a commencement address at Benedictine College last weekend.
King Charles III unveils his first official portrait since his coronation
King Charles III has unveiled the first portrait of the monarch completed since he assumed the throne, a vivid image that depicts him in the bright red uniform of the Welsh Guards against a background of similar hues.
Full List Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Alberta announces the 4 health agencies that will replace AHS later this year
The province has released more information on its plan to break up Alberta Health Services and replace it with four sector-based health agencies.
Biden administration moving ahead on US$1 billion arms package for Israel, AP sources say
The Biden administration has told key lawmakers it is sending a new package of more than US$1 billion in arms and ammunition to Israel, two congressional aides said Tuesday.