Charity decks out tents in Yonge-Eglinton for unique new homelessness campaign

Fred Victor, a social service charity, has launched a campaign to end homelessness—an issue they say Torontonians are becoming increasingly desensitized to.

Last month the charity had pop-up encampments at Union Station, Nathan Philips Square and other high-traffic areas across the city. At Yonge and Eglinton Centre, there is now a permanent installation until the end of this month.

Keith Hambly, CEO of the charity, says this year in particular, the city has seen an increase in encampments.

“We’re trying to raise awareness and raise the conversation in the City of Toronto by saying, this is a solvable problem. Create housing, create a supportive housing for people in the greatest need,” adds Hambly.

Last year, there were 82 encampments across 24 parks in Toronto. This year, it’s more than 200 tents across 72 parks.

And residents have noticed.

“I’ve actually seen people in tents and homeless and I wonder how they get through the winter or even the summer in that flimsy a shelter. I can’t imagine what you know most Torontonians see about a homeless on the streets right now,” says one Toronto resident, Catherine.

With 12,000 people being homeless this holiday season, the goal is to raise $500,000 to fund Fred Victor’s housing and shelter programs.

But Hambly explains that the campaign is not solely to raise funds.

“This is really to spark conversation with your neighbours, with your neighbourhood, with the associations that you belong to, or your work environment, to say, ‘You know what, we can do better. I can do better as an individual, but we as a collective in our neighbourhood.’ We see homelessness each and every day, whether I walk to work or an encampment in a park near where I live. Let’s do better.”