Toronto is experiencing a housing and homelessness crisis. Communities across Canada continue to see increases in unsheltered homelessness and encampments since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Encampments are a symptom of the housing crisis, shelter demand that exceeds availability, increasing costs of living, inadequate income supports, and other social crises such as the drug toxicity and mental health crisis. The City believes that permanent, adequate, affordable, and supportive housing is the solution to homelessness and is committed to advancing the progressive realization of the right to adequate housing as set out in the Toronto Housing Charter . Encampments do not meet the human right to housing and are not a long-term solution to homelessness. While the City continues to work towards permanent housing solutions, it is critical that we continue to support people living in encampments, who are among the most vulnerable in our city. The purpose of this report is to present the City’s strategic approach to encampments that is grounded in a human rights approach while supporting the safety and well-being of people living in encampments and surrounding communities. Key components of this approach include: a. Expanding the enhanced housing-focused outreach and support mode b. Exploring new service models for people in encampments c. Enhancing safety in the shelter system for staff and clients d. Increasing permanent housing opportunities and shelter system flow This report also provides an update on the City’s implementation of recommendations in the Ombudsman Toronto’s interim and final reports on encampments and seeks City Council approval of the attached City of Toronto Interdivisional Protocol for Encampments in Toronto , updated based on extensive engagement with people with lived experience of homelessness in encampments, and City and community stakeholders and partners. From a human rights-based approach, and consistent with what we heard from extensive stakeholder engagement, addressing the urgent issue of encampments requires a multi-divisional and sectoral approach and the commitment of all levels of government, community, and other stakeholders to invest in comprehensive public, social and health-related supports.
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