So much has happened since the legislature rose on December 12th!

To start, we are now in the midst of a provincial election. Because of this, Bill 242 — the former Ford government's legislation to criminalize homeless people — has "died on the floor."

But this doesn't mean the threat of the Notwithstanding Clause is over. In fact, the PC Party has refused to reverse course on criminalizing encampments, and the Notwithstanding Clause and Bill 242 could be resurrected if they form the next provincial government.

Like you, I'm worried about the futures of 81,000 Ontarians who are homeless right now.

This is why I am asking you to participate in a campaign, launched by the newly-formed Ontario Coalition for the Rights of Homeless People.

This letter-writing campaign asks your local candidates of all parties to commit to:

1. Building the housing people need and deserve; and
2. Upholding homeless people's human rights; and
3. Having a compassionate plan to reduce homelessness.

Let your candidates know this is important to you by signing and sharing:  https://homelessrights.ca/get-involved

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WHERE DO THE PARTIES STAND ON ENCAMPMENTS?

The Ontario NDP

The only party with a platform specific to encampments, the NDP have promised to:

1. Build 60K supportive homes and 250K affordable homes
2. Upload shelter funding to the province from municipalities (which means the cost of shelters would no longer be raised from your municipal property taxes)
3. Enact rent control on all units, including vacancy control
4. Double ODSP and OW
5. Increase housing benefits to expedite homeless people into housing
6. Reject the use of the Notwithstanding Clause to clear encampments

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The Green Party of Ontario

The Greens have the only fully-costed platform, and their leader has both criticized the criminalization of homelessness and openly supported the NDP's encampment plan. Their homelessness platform includes:

1. Building 60K supportive homes and 250K non-profit homes
2. Creating a homelessness working group
3. Creating modular housing
4. Capturing provincial data on homelessness to better understand the scope of homelessness
5. Increasing funding for women's shelters
6. Doubling ODSP and OW

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The Ontario Liberal Party

The Liberal party do not have a platform regarding the homelessness crisis. While their leader, Bonnie Crombie, has criticized the use of the Notwithstanding Clause in debates, they have not made a commitment to not invoke the Clause. Their policy promises related to homelessness include:

1. Doubling ODSP
2. Phased-in rent controls (however, units built after 2018 will remain without rent control)
3. Establishing the Rental Emergency Support for Tenants fund
4. Fix the Landlord and Tenant Board backlog

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The Ontario PC Party

The PCs have no platform regarding housing or homelessness. However, before the election was called, they committed $75.5 million to clear encampments across Ontario. Doug Ford has also threatened to use the Notwithstanding Clause to clear encampments as Premier, and tabled Bill 242, which (if passed) would have criminalized homeless people in public spaces.