Sanctuary Toronto has been operating out of its Charles Street location for more than three decades, providing outreach to unhoused people in the downtown core. But a new lawsuit launched by the neighbouring condo corporation claims the church has now become a haven for illegal activity and violence.
Thirty-three-year-old Akhil has been living in the downtown condo tower located next to Sanctuary for less than a year, and in that time, he describes a neighbourhood in chaos.
“I got chased a couple times just going to the train station, someone just yelling and they follow you,” he said. “They vandalize, and there’s a bunch of feces always lying around on our pathways. Not a very nice place to be in.”
The condo corporation at 33 Charles Street is suing the church for $2.3 million, claiming it’s become a “free-for-all haven” for illicit activity, including drug use, drug dealing and violent altercations. The board also claims there’s been significant damage to their property and they’ve had to hire more security.
“You’re sort of promoting this attitude instead of offering better solutions, offering better housing, I don’t think this helps,” said Akhil.
About two dozen Naloxone kits hang along the church’s fence, and beside it is a City of Toronto parkette with a big yellow drop box for used needles. In the lawsuit, the park is described as an overflow hangout space for Sanctuary clients.
CityNews has learned that City of Toronto staff have responded to service calls concerning the church’s property and the park next door 79 times in the last year and a half.
“They don’t allow it, but they can’t necessarily control it either. You can’t control a human being and dictate what they are going to do or say or consume in a sense, but they don’t have anywhere else to go,” said one woman, who did not want to be identified and is currently in the shelter system. She believes the church is only helping people left behind by the city.
“It’s really unfortunate that the government doesn’t do enough to help everybody in a sense in establishing boundaries, guidelines and safe places for all of us.”
But not all condo residents have had negative experiences.
“I have never felt unsafe, I haven’t felt like I’m in any kind of danger,” said Abby, who tells CityNews she was stunned when she got an email from property management about the lawsuit.
“I think the lawsuit is unfair, personally. I saw the email, and I was like, ‘That seems a little bit out of touch.’”
Sanctuary Toronto has stated that the lawsuit will not solve the city’s housing crisis, and it will be fighting the allegations in court.
CityNews reached out to both the condo corporation and the church for comment, but has yet to receive a response.
