Days before the December 2024 holiday shutdown, the City of Toronto announced 6 permanent shelter locations being built throughout the city to address the rise in homelessness. 

The St. Clair West-Davenport community is concerned about the safety, suitability and need for a proposed shelter location at 1615 Dufferin Street. The concerns are as follows:

• Community not consulted and no meaningful consultation planned - no community consultation before site selection and no plans for meaningful consultation going forward 
• Wrong Location - The site is walking distance to 7 schools, 5 daycares and adjacent to a public library with daily infant, toddler and child programs (EarlyON child and family centre)
• Increase in Crime - drug use in the shelter will be supported as per the City’s harm reduction strategy and this will directly impact school communities 
• Already doing our part  - The St. Clair West community currently has 16 shelters and supports for vulnerable populations
• Increasing Concentration - 2 proposed shelters are within 10 minutes of one another and would add at least 130 beds to the neighbourhood 
• Location will violate new ban 

We are urging the City of Toronto to Keep Kids Safe and RELOCATE the shelter to an alternative location, one that both addresses gaps in services for this vulnerable population and keeps children safe. 

COMMUNITY NOT CONSULTED AND NO MEANINGFUL CONSULTATION PLANNED

Residents of the St. Clair West-Davenport community are concerned about the complete lack of public consultation on the proposed shelter at 1615 Dufferin Street, the first to open in 2027, which will include at least 50 beds, and potentially more, for young adults (16-24 years of age) experiencing homelessness.

Out of 100 assessed sites throughout the City of Toronto, this location was selected by City Staff based on supposed “need” and “suitability,” both of which this location does not satisfy. 

The City did not involve the community in any aspect of their decision making. We were kept in the dark and had no say in site selection and there are no plans for meaningful consultation now or going forward. The community should be partners and involved before, during and after decisions are made, not excluded completely – especially when this directly impacts children and their safety. 

WRONG LOCATION – CONCERN FOR CHILDREN’S SAFETY

The proposed shelter would be in highly concentrated school community, located:

• Directly adjacent to a public library with daily infant, toddler and child programs (EarlyON child and family centre)
• 100 metres walking distance from an all girls high school
• Walking distance to an additional 6 schools and 5 daycares

The proposed shelter, mandated by the Toronto Shelter Standard (TSS),  “...will have a harm reduction policy and procedure,” which “seeks to reduce substance-related harm without requiring abstinence.”

This means the use of all drugs will be supported and permitted at this proposed shelter. Being in such close proximity to the shelter will inevitably impact these schools and their students, and create an environment that may not be conducive to learning or safety. 

INCREASE IN CRIME

The City’s own consultants have acknowledged that neighbourhood crime will increase as a result of the proposed shelter. These outcomes have been reported in two recent National Post articles, illustrating the concerning reality of harm reduction policies in health centres, shelters and their impacts on school communities and communities at large.

At one centre, “....Toronto police crime data reveals…Within a 200-meter radius of the centre, reports of assault recently increased by 60 per cent and 911 calls were on a sharp incline.”  

At another, “…within 250 metres of the centre, “mischief calls were up 800 per cent, and a 93 per cent increase…in crimes against people.”

These impacts on schools and communities are concerning and should inform decisions about where shelters can be located, specifically not in close proximity to schools. 

DOING OUR PART

Of the 100+ potential sites considered by the City, St. Clair Ave West was selected for this shelter, although the community currently directly serves this vulnerable population. There is a long-standing methadone clinic at 1680 Dufferin St, which is across the street from the proposed shelter, and the community currently has 16 shelters and supports for addiction, mental health and transitional services in the St. Clair Ave. West neighbourhood.

INCREASING CONCENTRATION

The Davenport neighbourhood is a large region, yet the proposed shelter at 1615 Dufferin Street would be 10 minutes away from an additional proposed site at Eglinton and Caledonia, located on the north side of the Davenport boundary line. Rather than addressing “gaps in services,” the City will create a concentration of at least 130 beds, in addition to the shelters and services currently operating throughout the neighbourhood.

LOCATION WILL VIOLATE NEW BAN

In line with our community's concerns, there is a new ban on the establishment and operation of supervised drug consumption sites that are less than 200 metres from a school, daycare or EarlyON child and family center, which will include shelters that “...offer drug consumption.”  

In this case, 1615 Dufferin Street would violate this ban and must be relocated.

TAKE ACTION - SIGN PETITION

By signing this petition, you are urging the City of Toronto to RELOCATE this proposed shelter to an alternative location, one that both addresses gaps in services for this vulnerable population and keeps children safe.

Sign this petition, share with your community, and help to make a difference. 

Thank you for your support!

If you would like to directly contact our local City Councillor or the Mayor to raise your concerns, please find their contact information below:

Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto
mayor_chow@toronto.ca
(416) 397-2489

Alejanjdra Bravo, City Councillor for Davenport
councillor_Bravo@toronto.ca
(416) 392-7012