Premier Doug Ford is signalling the province will take action to deal with homeless tent encampments in Toronto parks and other communities across Ontario.
“It’s a big problem,” said Ford, whose office at the Ontario legislature is about 400 metres south of an encampment at city-run Queen’s Park.
“We’ve got to find homes for these folks as well, and that’s our goal — all three levels of government. But I’ll tell you, communities across the province, they’re just beside themselves,” the premier said Wednesday at an unrelated announcement in East York.
“I got a call yesterday. There’s needles in the park right beside a place (with) encampments all over the place. It’s unacceptable, and we have to all work together to find them shelter and get them out of the public spaces. You just can’t be doing it.”
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, who was also at the announcement, said the housing crisis is compounded by the city’s increasing population, and “it’s hard to find affordable housing for everyone, which is why you see all our shelters are full. We now have 12,000 people in our shelters; half of them are refugees claimants. So the situation is really difficult.”
She acknowledged concerns raised by area residents about the encampments, saying “in big parks, small parks — especially in small parks … (the tents) are right beside playgrounds, and it’s just really difficult for families and the kids, because then they have no room for the kids to play. So, we’re working hard.”
She said a Canada-Ontario rent supplement, a program that will resume this fall, helps moves families out of shelters “which means that we can then make room for people that are living in tents, as the winter arrives in a few months — we can now get them from the encampments into shelters so that they’re indoors and don’t have to endure the outdoor environment.”
Chow noted that shelter spots and housing were found for people living in tents in Grange Park, and many at Allan Gardens.
“People don’t want to be camping, they don’t want to be outside,” the mayor also said. ” … And some of the neighbourhoods are being impacted tremendously … It’s in the best interest for us to deal with this crisis.”
Last week, Ford said homeless people in encampments need to ”get off your a-s-s and start working like everyone else,” though was criticized for not considering how the cost of food or housing impacts people, especially those in low-wage jobs or on social assistance.
The premier has said he’s heard from a number of Ontarians and municipal officials who are “rightly frustrated” with encampments.
Encampments are an issue jurisdictions across North America are struggling with post-pandemic as homelessness, mental health issues and substance abuse are on the rise.
In 2021, Toronto began enforcing the no-camping rules in some parks, clearing out homeless campers, but has since backed off that approach.
Hamilton is now allowing encampments with small cabins, making social supports available, until housing is found for them.
