Toronto’s homeless shelter situation is dire. The shelters are full, many people, especially women and families cannot even get a shelter bed. So far any actions taken by the City have failed to meet the basic need of shelter.
After many deputations at the November Community Development and Recreation Committee by community members, front line agencies, advocates, union locals and faith organizations - the Committee voted to support several motions calling on the mayor to declare the situation in the shelter system an emergency and to open 1,000 shelter beds to alleviate the crisis.
The motions to open these desperately needed shelter beds and to deal with this crisis situation will need to be passed at City Council meeting on December 5, 2017. However, the Mayor also has authority to unilaterally declare an emergency and to take action NOW.
In order for these essential motions to be successful, we need to put pressure on all City Councillors and the Mayor to vote in favour of the motions and to declare an emergency.
There are 3 things you can do:
1) Contact your City Councillors and tell them you are worried about the conditions of our homeless shelters and want to see 1,000 new beds opened as soon as possible. In the interim, City Councillors need to vote to tell the Mayor to declare an emergency to open up the armouries and other spaces as emergency shelter. Ask them to vote in favour of these important motions on December 5th.
The motions can be found here: http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewPublishedReport.do?function=getMinutesReport&meetingId=11850
Here is how to find your Councillor:
https://web.toronto.ca/city-government/council/members-of-council/
2) Contact the Mayor and ask him to declare an emergency in the shelter system and to support the motions going before council.
Here is how to contact the Mayor: 416-397-CITY (2489) or mayor_tory@toronto.ca
3) Attend Council on December 5th at 9:30am to show your support for these motions and the need for urgent action on the crisis in the shelter system.
For any questions, contact: flaviag@regentparkchc.org
The Toronto Drop-In Network (TDIN) is an active member-based coalition of 59 organizations that run at least 56 diverse drop-in centres across the city of Toronto. Our members work with people who are homeless, marginally housed, or socially isolated, including men, women, transgender and non-binary people, youth and seniors.
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