Anti-panhandling laws coming to Toronto?
Posted June 2, 2011 9:43 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO, Ont. – While the warm summer weather makes for an ideal setting for walking around the city, it also sets the stage for panhandling.
Many major Canadian cities already have strong anti-panhandling laws in place to battle what has become a quickly growing problem, and now the deputy mayor is arguing that Toronto needs a similar bylaw.
Doug Holyday, a city councillor and Rob Ford’s deputy mayor, called panhandling a growing problem in Toronto. According to Holyday, it’s up to city council to do something to control panhandling in the city.
Antonio, a local Queen Street resident, told 680News he comes across panhandlers frequently.
“Late in the evening, in the morning, they’re always around,” Antonio said. “I think it would be the most appropriate thing to ban them.”
This is exactly what Holyday is looking to do. The deputy mayor believes a panhandling bylaw that makes it illegal to obstruct the sidewalk would be an appropriate response. Holyday said the bylaw could be enforced through fines and potentially jail time for repeat offenders.
Similar bylaws already exist in several Canadian cities like Vancouver, Winnipeg, Calgary and even Fredericton.
Currently is it illegal to engage in “aggressive panhandling” in Toronto, under the 1999 Safe Streets Act. However, the definition of aggressive only includes panhandling where physical harm is threatened, abusive language is used or the panhandler is intoxicated.
While Toronto police do make an effort to hand out citations and penalties for panhandling, the lax penalties and restrictions often offer little deterrence to panhandlers in the city.
Calling the penalties too lenient, Holyday even went as far as saying Toronto is drawing panhandlers from other cities because of our lax policies.
The last time panhandling was a major political issue was during ex-mayor David Miller’s term, when there were multiple calls for a ban on the practice. However instead of issuing a ban, Miller’s government decided to pour money into their Streets to Homes project, which was intended to target and aid beggars in the city.
