Niagara Neighbours for Community Safety (NNCS) is a collection of hundreds of parents, residents, and businesses in the downtown west area of Toronto who are opposed to the City of Toronto’s plan to convert 629 Adelaide St W into a 24-hour emergency shelter.

Homelessness is one of the most significant issues the City is tackling. We are acutely aware of the associated increase in addiction and mental health concerns as our neighbourhood already supports several service-based facilities focusing on these crises. NNCS fully understands the need for increased services; however, we believe these services should be well-planned, properly located, and well-designed — taking into consideration both the people accessing services and the community in which people live and work.

On Thursday, November 16, 2023, our community was suddenly advised that an emergency shelter would now be sited at 629 Adelaide St W, which was originally proposed as a location for a 24-hour low barrier respite site. Our community did not support the respite site at this location and is unaware as to the reasons why the City of Toronto changed the purpose of the site instead of considering its relocation. The entire process has been shrouded in secrecy and a lack of transparency. 

While the City of Toronto was adamant our community was not permitted to provide input into the process due to delegated authority, we were then advised they changed the purpose of the site as a result of community “feedback” despite the absence of a formal engagement process. We have no official documentation from the City of Toronto as to what input was considered and what precipitated the sudden change. 

Throughout this entire process our community has repeatedly faced confusion, a lack of transparency, a lack of professionalism, and misinformation. As a result, we have no trust or confidence in the City of Toronto’s ability to safely manage any facility of this type at this location.

The new plan is for a 50-bed+ emergency shelter at 629 Adelaide St W. This building is two blocks from a Supervised Consumption site alongside myriad other social services, and is located on a small parcel of land (with no outdoor space) in the heart of a residential community where there are children, schools, homes, laneways, dead-end areas, and multiple parking lots — it’s an unsafe location. 

With the help of our large community of supporters, we are on the public record advising the Mayor, all Members of City Council, senior City of Toronto staff, and other jurisdictions that locating these services and programs in our neighbourhood is reckless, dangerous, and will seriously impact public safety. 

Work with communities; not against them. 

The City plans to develop additional 24-hour respite sites and shelters throughout the city. We demand the City of Toronto finds a more suitable location for this 24-hour emergency shelter and immediately abstains from using delegated authority; it is dangerous and undemocratic and creates secrecy, misunderstandings, frustration, fear, anger, and conflict. It does not build safe, secure, welcoming, and livable communities in Toronto.

Please sign this petition to ensure safe, secure, welcoming, and livable communities in Toronto.

Submit your email address to receive NNCS updates: https://tinyurl.com/subscribetonncs

For more information, please visit: http://niagaraneighbours.org

**Please note that funds submitted to support the petition via Change.org are not directed to NNCS, but fund the platform and potential additional sharing of the petition.**