Feds will foot bill for use of Moss Park Armoury as temporary shelter space
Posted January 10, 2018 1:38 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The city of Toronto won’t be on the hook for costs associated with utilizing the Moss Park Armoury as a temporary homeless shelter.
Minister of National Defence Harjit Singh Sajjan made that announcement on Wednesday at Toronto City Hall where he met with Mayor John Tory and Liberal MP Adam Vaughan to discuss the city’s shelter situation.
Sajjan also confirmed that the use of the armoury as a shelter space would be extended until Jan. 29.
When a reporter asked who would foot the bill, Sajjan made it clear that the city would not be monetarily penalized for opening the armoury doors to Toronto’s most vulnerable.
“We won’t be conducting any cost recovery for this,” he said. “This is about making sure that we serve Canadians and we work together … all levels of government.”
Tory was pleasantly surprised by the news, but said money was never a concern.
“While I hadn’t heard that news before this minute, the subject of money never came up. It was never a consideration.”
The armoury was opened to the homeless last Saturday evening as the city faced a 13th day with an extreme cold weather alert in effect.
An organizer for the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty last week called the opening of the armoury “a good step and an important victory for homeless people in this city.”
But Gaetan Heroux noted that while all winter respite programs end on April 15, “homelessness doesn’t end on April 15th.”
Tory said city staff are working to identify suitable locations across Toronto for permanent shelter sites.
“The bottom line is we are doing what we can to make sure that every single person who needs shelter has that shelter,” Tory said on Wednesday.
