Since City Council adjourned last July, Toronto has seen incredible violence enacted against the residents of downtown Toronto encampments and their supporters. We have also learned that the collective cost of evicting Trinity Bellwoods, Alexandra Park, and Lamport Stadium’s encampments reached almost $2 million in public money. Beyond this financial cost, the cost to the lives of encampment residents has been deep and lasting trauma. That cannot be undone.

These residents have endured injuries, police targeting, arrests, and the destruction of their homes and treasured belongings. These costs are untenable.

And for what? We know that the outcome of these evictions was that not one resident received housing from the City of Toronto. Most people – nearly 60% – simply relocated elsewhere outdoors. Moreover, just 8% of encampment residents have received housing during the pandemic. This is to say that the approach to encampments inflicted upon our City this past summer was an abject, inhumane, and costly failure.

While Mayor John Tory described our calls for City Council to deliberate on and adopt the human rights-compliant approach of ‘A Path Forward’ as “unwelcome,” we have not seen the forcible removal of Moss Park, Cherry Beach, or the growing encampment in Dufferin Grove. This has been a welcome outcome. Indeed, the latter encampment has, in the past month, been in receipt of exclusive supports, including housing offers, ID clinics, and offers of choice over indoor spacing options. While we applaud this approach, we also recognize that it is being deployed in Councillor Ana Bailao’s ward only. It should also be noted that when supporters of A Path Forward advocated for this approach this summer, Councillor Bailao did not support our calls. Instead, Councillor Bailao supported a motion for City of Toronto to adopt a goal of “zero encampments,” and voted against motions from Councillors Mike Layton and Josh Matlow advocating for a human rights-approach to supporting unhoused people and making shelters safer.

It is imperative that the approach being utilized in Dufferin Grove, which reflects many aspects of A Path Forward, be adopted and expanded upon to include all encampments in Toronto, and that no encampment be subject to forcible removal ever again in our city.

At the same time, we must have accountability for the approach used by the City in Trinity Bellwoods, Alexandra Park, and Lamport Stadium. On this, Councillor Wong-Tam has filed an administrative inquiry to city staff, which will be answered at Council on Oct. 1. As well, and importantly, the Ombudsman of Toronto has announced that his office will also be launching an investigation into City of Toronto’s encampment evictions this summer. We applaud this, but note that the Ombudsman will not be investigating the actions of Toronto Police.

We believe their actions must be investigated. Because of this, we urge you to submit letters of support to a motion being presented to City Council by Councillors Layton and Matlow on Oct. 1. Their motion is requesting a public inquiry by a judge of the Superior Court of Ontario who has the authority to investigate Toronto Police. This motion must be passed by Council.

How Can You Help?

• Continue to sign and share this petition!
• Continue to demand accountability by:
  • Writing letters of support to Councillors Matlow and Layton’s motion requesting a judge of the Superior Court of Ontario to investigate encampment evictions, and specifically the actions of Toronto Police. You can submit comments here: http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.MM36.25
  • Contacting the Mayor and your City Councillor (find their contact info here), and in particular Councillors (contact here) and Bradford (contact here), who both have encampments in their wards (Dufferin Grove and Cherry Beach) and previously voted against motions to provide human rights-compliant approaches to encampments. Ask them to support Layton and Matlow’s motion, and expand upon the approach being used at Dufferin Grove.
• Be vigilant and keep watch!

Your support is deeply appreciated, and collectively we can realize a just and equitable city where everyone belongs, regardless of their living situation.

Diana Chan McNally

Training and Engagement Coordinator, Toronto Drop-in Network