Violent incidents at Toronto shelters have increased with overcrowding: CAMH study

Physical assaults, verbal abuse, threats and harassment are all being experienced more than they ever have in the shelter system, according to a report put together for the City of Toronto by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).

The alarming trend shows a 283 per cent increase in “interpersonal violence” over a decade as the number of people using shelters also grew while service restrictions increased by 33 per cent before decreasing in the last couple of years.

what we’ve seen is shelter work today does not look like shelter work 10 or 15 years ago, complex issues such as the drug toxicity crisis, increasing poverty, the homelessness crisis, and frankly, unmet mental health needs,”

The data points to a need for more support in the shelter system for those staying and staff.

“Certainly, we know that people when they’re unhoused become more ill and that there are a lot of unmet needs of our residents in shelters,” said Councillor Alejandra Bravo.

Overcrowding in the current shelter system is a major factor and policies that limit privacy, driving anxieties high on top of mental health issues related to homelessness.

Mayor Olivia Chow hopes 20 new shelters sites throughout the city, over the next 10 years, will help.

“We’re moving from big, big shelter to smaller [ones with] under 80 people. When the numbers are smaller, there’s less conflict, more of a sense of belonging, much easier to connect with people. So the new shelter housing plan is to build smaller shelters,” said Chow.

Poor staff communication and ineffective interventions are also pointed out as factors for violence. Those working to help people outside the shelter system believe that’s one of the keys for turning things around.

“Really, this is relationship work. When we’re working with homeless people and talking about integrated supports, if we don’t have trusting relationships with people, there’s no way those interventions will actually work,” said Diana McNally, a community worker with All Saints Toronto.

While this report spells out the problem as they exists with more detail, there’s still no plan to address the issues at this point.

The city is currently developing its “Shelter Safety Action Plan” but it’s not expected to be ready until later this year or in 2025.