Sign this petition to demand immediate action from Mayor Olivia Chow and the Toronto City Council. Share widely to help ensure they create warm, safe places to sleep for individuals without shelter, with a focus on the most vulnerable. #NoOneLeftOutside.

There is an urgent concern regarding the lack of safe places to sleep currently available for individuals sleeping outside across Toronto. Over 200 individuals are being turned away each night from Toronto shelters, at the same time that the City is spending millions on the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. Recently, 300 people had to vacate the CNE Better Living Centre.

While the closure of this site is concerning in itself, the broader and more immediate issue is the lack of safe, accessible indoor spaces for people who are already being forced to sleep outside.

Toronto’s shelter system remains under sustained strain, with demand consistently exceeding capacity. As a result, many individuals are unable to access indoor shelter at all and are left with no option but to sleep outside. The reduction of existing spaces without clear, accessible, and adequate alternatives will only intensify this crisis.

At its core, this is about ensuring that no one in Toronto is left without a safe place to sleep. The City has a responsibility to provide sufficient, low-barrier, and geographically accessible indoor spaces where individuals can seek refuge and maintain their safety and dignity.

We recognize the logistical pressures associated with hosting a global event such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, these considerations must not come at the expense of the immediate safety and well-being of unhoused residents.

We respectfully call on the Mayor and Council to:

1. Ensure that all individuals currently sleeping outdoors have access to warm, safe, indoor spaces, including by urgently expanding low-barrier shelter and respite capacity across the city;
2. Provide clear, transparent information on where individuals can go in real time, ensuring that no one is turned away without a viable and safe alternative; and
3. Develop and communicate a comprehensive plan to prevent people from being forced to sleep outside, including contingency measures when shelters reach capacity.

Failing to ensure access to safe indoor spaces for people to sleep will have serious public health consequences. No individual should be left to endure unsafe outdoor conditions due to system gaps.

Human safety, dignity, and the right to adequate shelter must remain central to municipal decision-making. As Toronto residents, we urge you to act swiftly to ensure that all residents have a safe place to sleep.

#NoOneLeftOutside