Toronto releases plan for unhoused population this winter, advocate calls it ‘disappointingly inadequate’

As the population of unhoused people in Toronto continues to increase, the city has released their plan to help those experiencing homelessness this winter.

The strategy, which will be implemented on November 15, includes adding up to 180 spaces in the shelter system and opening a 24-hour respite centre with capacity for 40 people.

There will also be 170 spaces activated in four warming centres when temperatures reach -5 C. Additional surge spaces will be made available when temperatures reach -15 C.

Last year, the city added more than 1,000 spaces in the shelter system through hotels and expanded capacity in existing shelters.

Councillor Alejandro Bravo, also Chair of the Economic and Community Development Committee, said they are working with a baseline approach.

“It’s not going to meet the entire need, but it is a good start. And, of course, we are talking about looking ahead in a very proactive and deliberate way for building up the shelter system that we need,” said Bravo. “I think we’re in a place where the city council recognizes that homelessness is an emergency. And so, what you have before you is a really important baseline to approach this problem.”

Gord Tanner, the general manager of Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, said they are putting in their best efforts, but the city’s emergency shelter system is already at capacity, and the strain is only augmenting.

“In addition, we do not have a clear picture of how many more people we can anticipate arriving in Toronto in the coming months or how many people are on the cusp of homelessness and may lose their housing and be in need of our services,” said Tanner.

Currently, the city is sheltering 10,700 people, 9,000 of whom are in the shelter system and 1,700 in bridging hotels and programs supported by the Red Cross. Approximately 275 people who need housing are unmatched every night in Toronto.

Tanner said more long-term solutions need to be offered by other levels of government for them to meet the need.

Both city officials and advocates have been calling on the federal government to provide more help to refugees after this summer saw dozens of asylum seekers sleeping outside an intake office on Peter Street.

Concerns were raised after several refugees began to sleep outside the office again earlier this month about what they would do during the winter months.

“Some go to a church, some come to Peter Street, some don’t know where to go, and that’s unacceptable. We need a reception center that we can properly support and fund, and we’ll partner with the federal government to do that. But that is desperately required in this situation as we head into winter,” said Tanner.

Advocate Lorraine Lam called the city’s plan “disappointingly inadequate.”

“I think having a 24/7 respite is a small step, and having a higher temperature threshold is a small win maybe, but it is very inadequate,” Lam.

She said the warming centres need to be open 24/7. They were previously only opened when the city issued an extreme cold weather alert at -15 C.

Lam said she understands the other levels of government need to step in, but she adds more can be done.

“The city seemed to have money to make signs that say no camping in parks. There’s money to give tax breaks to homebuyers. There’s money that we can spend, but I have questions about how we’re spending it,” said Lam.

“What we’re seeing is that responsibilities are being downloaded to churches and transit systems … there’s still a lot of refugees who are staying at a number of churches that are still stranded with nowhere to go.”

Bravo acknowledged it “isn’t enough.”

“We have to do more. But I think that the thing that’s different this year, from my perspective as a new councillor, is naming the extent of the problem. We’re inviting the public to help to press where we need to press with the other orders of government to campaign to raise their voices so that we get the support that we need to face this really scary winter,” said Bravo.