Updated June 1, 2021, 12:45 pm
We will continue to update this page as new information and resources emerge. For more information or to report errors or broken links, please contact Diana at engage@tdin.ca.
Table of Contents:
TDIN is advocating for drop-ins during the pandemic, including liaising with the media and participating in speaking engagements to bring attention to your important work!
Status of COVID-19 in Toronto's Homeless Population
The City of Toronto has recently shifted from utilizing ongoing posts of active cases via PDF to live updates on its website.
Total Number of Active and Inactive Cases of COVID-19 in Toronto Shelters and Respites:
Note: Status of confirmed cases in the homeless population intersecting with drop-ins and other service settings is not available through these statistics. The above statistics are incomplete, and only represent a portion of the homeless population.
Known COVID-19 Deaths of People Experiencing Homelessness in Toronto (May 5, 2021)
| Name | Age | Gender | DOD |
Residence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Rosie" | Unknown | Female |
April 2021 |
Women's Residence |
| "Rocky" | 60 | Male |
April 6, 2021 |
Homes First (545 Lakeshore) |
|
Robert Thompson |
68 | Male | March 22, 2021 |
Fred Victor (701 Fleet St.) |
|
Unnamed (Confirmed by |
Unknown | Unknown | December 11, 2020 |
Unknown Shelter |
| Unnamed | Unknown | Male |
May 2020 |
St. Simon's |
|
Unnamed |
Unknown | Female | May 9, 2020 |
Warden Woods Community |
| Unknown | Male | April 6, 2020 |
St. Simon's |
|
| Unnamed | 70s | Male |
May 11, 2020 |
Seaton House |
| Joseph Chibala | 52 | Male | May 8, 2020 |
Dixon Hall Schoolhouse |
3. COVID-19 Guidance from SSHA and TPH
Memoranda:
FAQ Documents:
Guidance Documents and Tools:
The City of Toronto's Shelter, Support, and Housing Administration (SSHA) has created a dedicated e-mail address to address any questions or concerns that your organization may have, and to report all service reductions, adjustments, and closures at your drop-in: sshadoc@toronto.ca.
Interim Shelter Recovery Strategy:
On September 15, 2020, SSHA, in conjunction with the United Way, released its Interim Shelter Recovery Strategy Report, to which TDIN contributed as a key member of the Task Force.
This report was produced in reponse to the impacts of COVID-19, and the clear need to rethink homelessness services post-pandemic.
Read the report here:
History of the Report:
In partnership with the United Way, SSHA has announced an Interim Shelter Recovery Strategy, which is intended to guide shelter and other homelessness and housing services over the next six months to a year. According to SSHA:
"This strategy will equip the sector to continue to enhance the way we work together to minimize the spread of COVID19 in the shelter system over the coming months, protect people experiencing homelessness and ensure coordination with the health system."
The primary goals of the strategy are, according to SSHA, to:
While SSHA is approaching this strategy in consultation with partners, including TDIN, the turnaround on this consultation was an extremely short time frame, and is now concluded; the final project report slated for delivery by July 30. TDIN recognizes that many partners may have been left out of the consultation process, given this truncated timeline. However, we urged our members to do the following:
Your completed consultation templates should have been e-mailed to amber@bgmstrategygroup.com.
While we can make no statement as to how your input will be incorporated into the final report, we hope all of our members voiced their concerns.
For more information, please refer to:
SSHA COVID-19 Funding for TDIN Members:
SSHA has provided additional resources to both city-funded service providers and service providers who do not receive city funds for additional cleaning and maintenance staff and resources:
For member drop-ins who are not in receipt of city-funding, please contact TDIN Manager Susan Bender at manager@tdin.ca for more information on how to invoice to access emergency funds from TDIN if you have not already done so.
SSHA's requirements of these funds are that they be used for project activities that are:
SSHA's examples of eligible COVID-19-related costs include, but are not limited to:
Service providers should be aware that SSHA expects that they track and document all expenditures, as SSHA reserves the right to reconcile payments, if necessary.
As of October 6, individuals wishing to receive a COVID-19 test at a hospital, assessment centre, or pharmacy must do so by appointment.
IMPORTANT: People experiencing homelessness will be able to access testing at Unity Health's St. Michael's and St. Joseph's hospitals as well as Women's College Hospital WITHOUT having booked an appointment. For more information, see:
Otherwise, no walk-ins will be accepted, except at certain pop-up testing facilities.
For Assessment Centres, eligibility for testing is as follows:
For pharmacies, eligibility for testing is as follows:
Tests can be booked by calling the individual facility that is offering testing, or online for certain facilities.
Testing is available to community health care workers, including drop-ins workers, from designated organizations who:
IMPORTANT: An employer badge will be required at time of appointment (call individual clinics to confirm if your organization has been designated).
For an up-to-date list of current pop-up COVID testing sites, please visit the following and click on "Assessment Centre Locations and Details."
For a list of participating pharmacies offering COVID-19 testing, visit the Province of Ontario's website.
5. Public Washrooms and Showers
For more information on public washroom and shower facilities by neighbourhood, visit:
6. Changes to Services Due to COVID-19
Shelter and Housing Services and Supports
The City of Toronto launched its 2020/2021 Winter Plan on October 6.
The plan includes the creation of 560 additional indoor spaces (congregate shelters, shelter-hotels, modular housing), as well as the expansion of Warming Centres into four sites, versus just one site previously. As of December 7, the number of indoor spaces has been increased from 560 to 620.
There are, however, significant gaps within the plan, in our opinion.
Shelter Spaces
Encampments
As of December 15, the city has set a precedent for opening warming centres without the need for an extreme cold alert. On this date, at 7 pm, the city opened the following locations:
TDIN will continue to update this page whenever warming centres are open and available to the public. These spaces can be accessed via walk-in, or by calling 311 or Central Intake at 416 338 3398.
It is important to note that no hot meals are served at warming centres, and no sleeping spaces (mats, cots) are made available. Snacks are served, and chairs are provided. For more information on warming centres, visit the following:
All drop-ins should update their services with TDIN as they change. As well, we encourage drop-ins to report these changes to 211 here: 211ontario.ca/tell-211-about-changes-in-services/
For information on developments in Toronto's shelters, including the pending development of a winter plan for homelessness services, please refer to SSHA's most recent FAQ document:
Toronto's city-operated shelters are still operating with minimal staff. However, SSHA has not been releasing the daily shelter occupancy since the pandemic began; instead, they have released a weekly snapshot only as to the general occupancy.
The bedded program at Peter St. will remain open for individuals currently staying there; however, the Street Respite drop-in is closed.
In addition to 19 Shelter-Hotels, the City has opened up the following to allow for increased social distancing. No walk-ins will be allowed, and all referrals to these spaces MUST be made by calling Central Intake: 416-338-4766.
Interim Settlement Agreement on Physical Distancing:
As of May 19, the city of Toronto has reached an Interim Settlement Agreement with Sanctuary, Aboriginal Legal Services, the Black Legal Action Centre, the HIV & Aids Legal Clinic Ontario, and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association in regard to physical distancing in shelters and respites — and specifically bed spacing provisions, both lateral and vertical, i.e. bunk beds.
The city is legally required to implement at least two metres of distance between beds, as well as end the use of bunk beds in shelters, respites, and overnight drop-ins.
The agreement also requires the city to release shelter and respite occupancy statistics.
On October 1, the coalition has took the City back to court in regard to a breach of the original agreement:
On October 15, a court decision was made in regard to the breach of agreement:
Anyone who encounters a possible breach of the city’s commitments can report the situation the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, via Goldblatt Partners, anonymously by filling out a web form. Individuals may also upload photos or videos of shelter conditions.
We do want to flag that the city, through this agreement, is only legally liable for physical distancing in sleeping arrangements. Other common areas in shelter and respite spaces, including dining areas, bathrooms, and recreation spaces, have been made the responsibility of each service provider through a Shelter Directive and Quality Assurance Process. We find this problematic, understanding that physical distancing is impossible to maintain because participants have free will, and can and do move freely in communal spaces. Instead of owning the fact that shelter and respite spaces — and by extension any congregate setting — cannot maintain physical distancing, and that the only real solution is to provide spaces to all individuals to socially isolate.
Read more about the Shelter Directive and Quality Assurance Process in SSHA's May 28 FAQ.
SSHA has released the following statement re: mobile testing in shelters:
"In partnership with the TC LHIN, community health partners and TPH, proactive mobile testing continues to be implemented in shelter locations across the city. Five mobile testing support teams have been established and will be reaching out to shelter and respite providers to coordinate on-site testing. To date, over 2500 shelter clients and 300 staff at 31 shelters and respite locations have been tested. Additional testing is being planned over the next two weeks at more than 30 additional locations."
The full schedule for testing remains inaccessible to the public, including service providers. As well, until recently, drop-ins have not been prioritized for mobile testing — only shelters. As such, some TDIN members have reached out to two service providers, Anishnawbe Health Toronto and Women's College Hospital (in conjunction with Toronto Urban Native Ministry, to perform on-site sentinel testing.
Read more about the Shelter Directive and Quality Assurance Process in SSHA's June 12 Memorandum.
During COVID-19, a record 29 individuals died because of overdose in Toronto's shelter system. To address this, iPHARE, or the Integrated Prevention and Harm Reduction initiative (iPHARE), is a new city-funded initiative being executed in Toronto's shelter system as a means to address overdose-related deaths.
According to SSHA, iPHARE has three key components:
The UPHNS are for residents of the shelter where the service is located only; they will not open to the public.
The first site of iPHARE will be located at the Bond Place Hotel, which is a shelter-hotel currently operated by Dixon Hall, and staffed by The Works. Subsequent sites will potentially have other staffing models.
TDIN applauds this initiative. At the same time, we recognize that 29 lives have already been lost, and that the responsibility for Supervised Consumption Sites in terms of approval and funding lie at the provincial level. In this regard, we deeply question why the province is not funding this initiative, and instead it is being funded by the city.
For more information, visit:
As well, please refer to the December 20 SSHA FAQ for more information.
All OOTC sites are shut down, except for the following:
During Winter of 2020/2021, TDIN has learned that the Out of the Cold Program will effectively be discontinued as it has operated in the past.
This means that Dixon Hall's site at 188 Carlton will become a year-round permanent shelter space with an 80-bed occupancy. At the height of the 2019 winter season, i.e. January to March, OOTC sites operated a total of 98 beds.
As well, faith organizations formerly running programs will no longer be operating OOTC spaces through the winter season, or in the future.
Isolation Sites
The City of Toronto has created the following spaces for the isolation of people experiencing homelessness who are awaiting test results or who have travelled recently:
Recovery Sites
In addition to these isolation sites, two recovery sites were created for people who have tested positive for COVID-19. As of August 5, 415 COVID-19 positive people have been isolated at the recovery sites. The sites have included:
On April 22, the 400-bed treatment centre of for people who have tested positive for the virus was put on hold indefinitely. This site, to be located at the Better Living Centre on Exhibition grounds, was originally planned to be opened by April 13.
All isolation and recovery sites will "offer an integrated model of care using a harm reduction and trauma-oriented approach, offering medical care, nursing, substance use care and overdose prevention services, mental health support, and community, peer and personal support. The [sites are] pet-friendly and family-friendly." See SSHA's May 6 Memorandum for more information.
As of March 1, 2021:
To view a cursory map of shelter-hotel locations (no addresses or name provided), please visit:
Please read SSHA's September 15 Memorandum, May 14 Memorandum, May 6 Memorandum and April 22 FAQ and the City of Toronto COVID-19 Response for People Experiencing Homelessness (April 14) for more information.
Referral Process:
As of August 6, referrals for shelter-hotel spaces can now be made by calling Central Intake.
Initially, the City worked with ICHA and service providers to identify those at greatest risk to be prioritized through the COVID-Alert Risk Evaluation (CARE) Project.
Community Engagement:
While the City is not required to seek community input or permission on the location of shelter-hotels, or any shelter sites, it has committed to engaging communities surrounding shelter-hotel sites with long-term (two year minimum) leases. According to the City, "the focus of the engagement process is on how to best support and integrate the shelter as part of the neighbourhood."
The City is hosting community engagement consultations surrounding select shelter-hotel sites:
For information on upcoming community engagement consultations:
The city is using a combined statistic to report the number of people housed during the pandemic. This statistic merges the following:
Current stats:
Previous stats:
We find it misleading to suggest that people who accessed housing allowances to move into housing were a part of the city's pandemic response. As well, accessing a housing allowance is not necessarily a promise of permanent housing, and because most units accessed through this means are private, market-rate rentals, they are not necessarily affordable either. As well, the allowance is usually just $300 - $500 a month for maximum five years.
Additionally, most people who have been on the city's RGI waitlist have been on that waitlist for years, and the City made no changes in how it approaches the waitlist during the pandemic. We find this misleading as well, and not a pandemic response specifically.
According to the city, no one was put into "temporary accommodations," although this does not make sense in relation to the Rapid Housing Access Initiative (see below).
Rapid Housing Access Initiative:
SSHA has released information on the Rapid Housing Access Initiative. Details are as follows (as of October 5, 2020):
Please read SSHA's April 22 FAQ, May 6 Memorandum, May 21 Memorandum, May 28 Memorandum, June 12 Memorandum, June 26 Memorandum and September 29 FAQ for more information.
Interim Housing for Individuals in Encampments:
As of December 7, the City is reporting that it has moved 1,100 people into "safe, indoor shelter and hotel spaces."
On December 7, the city has stated that it had identified 66 encampments in City parks with 395 tents. The city has also stated that it believes there are currently 400 people living in encampments (which would suggest one person per tent).
TDIN believes that there are significantly more encampments and people living in encampments than the city currently believes.
On April 29, the City of Toronto announced a new initiative to provide free temporary housing for individuals in encampments for up to six months. This housing was located at 55/65 Broadway, inside two residential buildings in midtown Toronto comprised of 130 units total. As of June 12, 157 people had been moved into these units. However, an unknown number of residents have been removed from units and restricted, and resident(s) have passed away from overdose.
On July 24, TDIN learned in a phone call that the lease on these buildings was set to expire on August 31, not in November as was originally planned. The City stated that it would attempt to move people into permanent housing. On this, and in an August 7 press release, the city has stated that 14 residents of 55/65 Broadway Ave have since been moved to permanent housing. Barring this, "clients will be assisted to move to an alternate temporary location located in another neighbourhood if permanent housing cannot be secured before the shelter closes." A number of residents of 55/65 Broadway were moved into the Bond Place Hotel.
Encampment Clearings and the Injunction Ruling:
On encampment clearing, SSHA has stated the following in its May 6 FAQ to Homelessness Services Providers (pg. 8):
"Anyone who declines the offer of housing, or is not eligible for the new program will be offered alternative shelter options before the site is cleared. Sites will not be cleared if everyone at the location has not been offered alternative options. In that case, we would work with Transportation and Parks staff to clean the site to allow for increased health and safety of those staying there and the community."
While TDIN is pleased that access to indoor self-isolation spaces — specifically apartments — is beginning to occur within the population of people sleeping rough, we do not agree with the clearing of encampments at this time (or any time). While we mourn the death of a man who passed away due to a fire in an encampment this morning (May 1), we believe that living in encampments continues to be the only viable option for all of Toronto's people who are sleeping rough. TDIN is adamant that people must be offered an apartment space as the best option, and barring this a hotel room, if an encampment resident is willing. Since SSHA's May statement, offers of indoor spaces to people in encampments by the city will only be shelter-hotels or apartments, not in congregate settings. It is to be seen if this changes during the winter season.
As of September 29, the city is stating that 820 people from encampments have been moved indoors. It does not specify unique individuals. As well, the City is stating that 350 people from encampments have been 'permanently' housed (TDIN Note: according to the 2018 Street Needs Assessment, 16% of people sleeping rough who are housed return to homelessness within one year, and at an average of 2.3 times per year).
The city is not releasing specific information on where people in encampments have been relocated.
TDIN's Advocacy
On May 15, TDIN staff personally bore witness to a city-led attempt to clear an encampment underneath the Gardiner Expressway. As of this date, the City has announced the following:
We have approached city officials to address hazards by installing hand-washing stations and portable toilets in proximity to encampments. We've also requested flame-retardant tents and sleeping bags to be distributed to encampments, and that the city provide wellness checks that are about fire and hygiene safety. Finally we have advocated for HTO To Go water trucks to be deployed to encampments, and specifically Moss Park, where there is no access to water, which is a continued health concern due to weather conditions (extreme heat, rain), and threat of hygiene-related illness, such as dysentery. Unfortunately, they have not heeded our requests. We want to be clear that we decry these actions.
Request for an Injunction
On October 1, encampment residents, in conjunction with the Toronto Overdose Prevention Society and the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, took the City to court for an injunction to override the city’s ability to issue trespass notices under its parks bylaw, which prohibits camping in municipal parks, to encampment residents. This hearing stems from recent actions by City staff, which have included destruction of the property of encampment residents and the clearing of encampments, purportedly without the offer of an alternative indoor space of any kind.
On October 21, the coalition of advocates and encampment residents who requested an injunction were denied this request.
Resources for People Living in Encampments:
SSHA has created a new housing initiative for newcomers experiencing homelessness.
For more information, please refer to SSHA's August 11 Memorandum.
Due to COVID-19, the city’s plan for heat relief has been modified to include a select number of Emergency Cooling Centres that will open across Toronto during Heat Warnings. The Emergency Cooling Centres (ECCs) are offered to residents as a last resort, if they do not have access to a cool space and cannot keep cool in their home or outdoors. There are no beds or food; however, people can access a chair, water, and cool air.
An Emergency Cooling Centre will operate at the following facility:
Closed facilities (as of August 25):
Previously, the city had been operating 14 Cooling Centres; this has since been reduced to four centres (August 6), and now to just Metro Hall (August 25), as the city has announced that it is transitioning back to the Heat Relief Network structure it implemented in 2019. While the City has not officially announced the drastic reduction of the ECC program to just one space, it has eliminated all other ECCs from its "Cool Spaces Near You" map. The Heat Relief Network includes community centre lobbies, and splash pads and pools. Unfortunately, this network structure is less accessible for people experiencing homelessness, as children's splash pads, pool access, and even community centre lobbies present significant barriers.
The City of Toronto has also produced an interactive map to help locate cool spaces in their proximity:
Staff and participants with smartphone access and WiFi can also consider downloading the WeatherCAN App, which features push notifications for all weather alerts in your locality, including extreme heat warnings:
The City of Toronto is also advising community agencies are encouraged to educate clients on the risks of heat-related illness and to call, text or video chat with those clients who are at increased risk of heat-related illness during Heat Warnings. Agencies can also post the following signage:
Harm Reduction and Mental Health Services and Supports
Most OPS and SIS are operating, with contingencies to protect social distancing. Please review the current schedule for OPS and SIS services:
Due to staff testing positive for COVID-19, The Works' Supervised Injection Site at 277 Victoria Street closed on March 16th. The Works' location has re-opened as of April 18, and is currently only able to serve four clients per hour at two booths. The Works is still able to provide clients with supplies, including naloxone, for pick-up. Unfortunately, access to The Works' SIS is currently by appointment only; as such, TDIN recognizes that this poses a barrier for people without phone access.
Toronto agencies and organizations providing harm reduction outreach services are maintaining a document of services updates during the COVID-19 pandemic, which you can access here:
CAMH:
CAMH is no longer accepting direct admissions to any inpatient units. All urgent needs are being directed through the Emergency Department where patients will receive a thorough assessment. Patients who require admission will be admitted to a general mental health unit, with additional processes in place to provide some specialized supports. If admission beyond 14 days is required, patients will then be transferred as appropriate to a specialty unit.
For urgent referrals, please contact the Urgent Addiction Care team:
CAMH does have a limited number of inpatient beds targeted for Medical Withdrawal available via the Emergency Department, however, with fewer beds CAMH has a fluctuating availability for planned admissions.
External referrals to CAITS are currently not available however CAITS remains open and current CAMH inpatients are being referred there, in accordance with CAMH’s infection control guidelines.
Provincial Programs and Services
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, OW and ODSP clients (single person) will be able to access an additional one-time benefit in the amount of $100. This benefit must be requested by either the OW or ODSP client, or a worker on their behalf; please contact a worker to request the benefit. As of May 1st, the $100 benefit has been extended until July as a monthly payment.
For new and recent Ontario Works applicants (granted on or after March 1st, 2020) CERB payments will be deducted dollar-for-dollar when determining eligibility for social assistance.
OW and ODSP recipients who qualify for the CERB partial exemption but become financially ineligible will not lose access to health benefits. These recipients will remain on social assistance, at a nominal amount, to ensure continued access to benefits and case management supports. However, clients on OW and ODSP who apply for and receive CERB are not protected from future clawbacks, which could cause serious harm to individuals.
Please refer to the following document for more information on how OW/ODSP and CERB/CRB intersect:
For more information on OW and ODSP during the pandemic, please reference the following:
People living with disabilities, including people who access ODSP, who have a valid Disability Tax Credit Certificate, may be eligible for a one-time, tax-free payment of up to $600 to cover additional expenses during the pandemic. Individuals who do not have a valid Disability Tax Credit Certificate have until September 25, 2020, to apply for one to receive the credit.
Correctional Facilities:
On May 8, the province has announced new procedures, operational changes and regulatory amendments to the Ministry of Correctional Services Act. These changes include expediting the release of "low-risk offenders" and those on remand back into their communities.
According to the Correctional Services, the Ministry of the Solicitor General is working with, among others, community service providers, to ensure that stakeholders are informed about inmate releases so that individuals who are at risk of homelessness, lack means to travel home, or may require access to local community services can be supported.
Please read more below:
Provincial Offences:
As of July 24, all early resolution meetings with a prosecutor will be conducted via telephone. Persons who received a ticket can request an early resolution meeting online using the online Court Case Look Up or by selecting the early resolution meeting option on their ticket and mailing it to the court address indicated on the back of the ticket. The City will send notices of early resolution meetings by mail or email to the address on file with the court.
Anyone wanting to dispute a ticket and request a trial can now submit a Notice of Intention to Appear form by email or by mail. This change applies to tickets issued on or after March 1, 2020.
Persons previously convicted without a hearing that wish to apply to have the conviction reopened by the court can also submit their application by email or mail. Anyone who wishes to apply for an extension of time to pay a Provincial Offences fine can apply by email or by mail.
Completed forms can be emailed to POACourt@toronto.ca or mailed to the address indicated on the back of the ticket.
IMPORTANT: The previous extension of time limits under the Provincial Offences Act, including the time limits to exercise the options on the back of a Provincial Offences ticket received on or after March 1, 2020, will expire on September 11, 2020.
Requests for trial can be made by email or mail by completing a Notice of Intention to Appear (NIA) form and sending the completed NIA form to POACourt@toronto.ca or by mail to the address on the back of the Offence Notice.
If a fine was due and payable on or after March 16, 2020, the time to pay fines resumes on September 14. Attendance in person to pay a fine is not required. Payments can be made online or by mail to the court address.
Municipal Offences:
City of Toronto Court Services will begin to reopen on September 14, and will schedule additional remote non-trial hearings starting September 28. As of September 9, residents can submit requests for appointments for when Toronto Court Services counters reopen at 1530 Markham Rd., 2700 Eglinton Ave. W. and 60 Queen St. W.
To book an appointment:
Appointments will be booked for one to two weeks later. Where possible, prior to booking an appointment, consider online services such as payment and filing a request for an early resolution meeting, or filing a court application by email or mail.
For more information, visit:
Scheduled Court Appearances:
Below are links with information around courts and their process of rescheduling appearance dates. The second link will give the date that court appearances will be moved to based on their original court date.
As well, Justice for Children and Youth is tracking information on changes in Ontario courts and tribunals:
Residential Evictions:
UPDATE: In tandem with the Stay-at-Home order, enacted on January 14, 2021 and lasting until February 11, the provincial government is claiming that it has instated a residential eviction moratorium. We must be clear that this moratorium is not universal. In fact, some eviction orders can still be enforced by sherriffs, if they are deemed "urgent situations." This includes expedited evictions in the event of:
Prior to the second emergency order, a moratorium was enacted by the province of Ontario on all eviction orders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the passing of Bill 184 in July 2020 may have impacts on future evictions now that the the emergency order is lifted, and the Landlord and Tenant Board has resumed functions. The emergency order was lifted on August 1. Evictions resumed on August 4.
For more information on this, refer to:
Any questions related to evictions should be directed to the provincial Rental Housing Enforcement Unit by calling 416-585-7214 or 1-888-772-9277.
As well, tenants can access municipal renter resources here:
Group Homes And Co-living Spaces (Including Rooming Houses):
For those performing outreach to rooming houses or are mounting advocacy to include people living in rooming houses in pandemic planning, please refer to the province's COVID-19 Guidance: Group Homes and Co-living Settings document.
Municipal Programs and Services
The City of Toronto has made permanent and temporary enhancements to the Housing Stabilsation Fund, effective immediately.
The following two permanent enhancements are being made so that clients who can relocate outside of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA):
To assist people whose housing stability has been impacted by COVID-19, the following two temporary enhancements will be in effect until December 31, 2020:
Current TTC service adjustments include (July 2):
On May 10, the TTC significantly cut services across the system, which has effectively led to most routes no longer offering 'stepped up' services during 'peak hours'. This reduction in services has lead to overcrowding on some routes during, in particular, peak hours; riders should be aware that it may be difficult to practice physical distancing in this environment.
To read more updates and to find information on TTC services during the pandemic, we recommend the following documents:
Wheel-Trans customers are asked to only take occasional trips. Occasional trips are defined as one-time, non-recurring trips. Trips can be booked online; however, Wheel-Trans customers must successfully answer and pass an online screening questionnaire regarding COVID-19 symptoms.
Customers booking a trip to a hospital or COVID-19 assessment centre must call the Wheel-Trans Reservations Line at 416-393-4222. These trips cannot be booked online.
Drop-ins and non-Wheel-Trans customers should not call Wheel-Trans for transport to COVID-19 assessment centres. Wheel-Trans for this purpose is reserved for customers who may not have any other transportation option.
That said, Wheel-Trans is able to transport Toronto Community Housing residents and shelter clients to assessment and isolation centres.
For more information, see the following:
Food Recovery and Distribution
Second Harvest will continue to distribute food to member agencies through delivery and pick-up. Daily Bread Food Bank is also running all of its programs; however, please check their website for updates and adjustments as they occur.
Food Banks
211 is attempting to update the service hours of food banks, and has created a dedicated map for food banks still operating during the pandemic.
If you are a food bank operator and your information is either absent or incorrect on this map, we encourage you to contact 211 as soon as possible here: 211ontario.ca/tell-211-about-changes-in-services/
On March 25, the City of Toronto closed playgrounds and other parks amenities. As of July 31, all park amenities will be opened, subject to physical distancing meausres and gathering limitations. This remains true during the second lockdown, commencing on November 25.
Via emergency orders, people in parks must practise physical distancing:
Additionally, alcohol consumption in City parks is still prohibited, including the following infractions and associated fines:
Be aware that the provincial government has also required any individual in breach with emergency orders to identify themselves to provincial offences officers. We are aware that this power is extremely problematic for marginalized communities and individuals — including people experiencing homelessness — who are often disproportionately subject to policing. That said, people using park benches will not be issued tickets.
Initially, the city has stated that it has suspended all clearing of homeless encampments. However, as of April 30, the city is now clearing encampments that have been identified through its new initiative to temporarily house people living in encampments. The city has stated that only individuals who have received and accepted an offer to relocate to an 'indoor space' (apartment or shelter bed) will have their area cleared. As of May 15, this has again been revised by the city such that encampments that are deemed "safety hazards" will also be subject to clearing. However, TDIN has received reports from advocates and encampment residents that their spaces are being cleared and/or their property destroyed without offers of indoor space.
Libraries:
Toronto Public Libraries previously announced the closure of all libraries effective March 13. However, as of July 31, libraries resumed all regular services, subject to physical distancing, mandatory masking, and other safety precautions.
On November 25, given the a second lockdown, libraries only opened to the public for the following services:
However, as of January 14, 2021, given the Stay-at-Home Order, libraries are open for the following services only:
No indoor services, including washrooms and computer use, are occuring while the Stay-at-Home Order is in place.
For more information, visit:
Community Centres:
On March 25, community centres across Toronto closed, save for some select services (e.g. bathroom-use). That said, when Toronto moved into Phase 2 of the provincial pandemic reopening strategy, community centres reopened.
This includes limited or modified on-site programs and services, such as:
Access to locker rooms, change rooms, showers and communal kitchen areas is not yet allowed. However, community centres that are currently operating special washroom and shower facilities during COVID-19 will continue to do so indefinitely.
On November 25, community centres once again modified services for the second lockdown. This included:
With the Stay-at-Home Order, enacted on January 14, 2021, there are no additional changes to indoor services available at community centres.
For more information, visit:
Conservatories:
Alan Gardens is closed during the Stay-at-Home order (January 14 to February 11).
For more information, visit:
PAID Project:
The PAID ID Clinic is now open to applications over the phone. During the call:
Contact the PAID ID Clinic:
As well, any client who is looking to do their income taxes for free can go to Canada.ca to find the location nearest to them, and phone for an appointment. The application will be done virtually.
Animal Services:
Animal Services Shelters are open to the public by appointment only for emergencies, pet redemption, and fostering. Please call the shelters during the hours of 10:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. to make an appointment:
The following programs continue to be suspended:
For more information, visit:
Malls
The Toronto Eaton Centre, which is frequented by people who are street-involved (particularly in the early morning), closed on March 25. However, on June 24, it reopened.
Malls were once again be closed between November 26 and January 4, 2021 due to the second lockdown.
As of January 14, given the Stay-at-Home Order, malls continue to be closed (and will be until at least February 11).
Resources for Service Providers
The United Way and the City of Toronto formed these Community Cluster Tables to address neighbourhood needs in the context of the pandemic, and particularly food security. Drop-ins are encouraged to connect to a Community Cluster Table, based on the following chart and by contacting the lead of their catchment area:
NOTE: Funding opportunities below may not be up-to-date.
Resources for Service Planning
Important Contacts
From the Toronto Drop-in Network (TDIN)
From the Shelter, Support, and Housing Administration (SSHA)
From Toronto Public Health (TPH)
From the Provincial Government & Public Health Ontario
From the Government of Canada
From Other Providers
Resources for Affected People
Self-Care
Working with Clients During COVID-19
Employment
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WoodGreen is still operating its Pet Food Bank. Details are as follows:
If you or a drop-in participant has received a ticket, fine, or other penalties, or has been charged with an offence in relation to COVID-19, please report your situation to the Canadian Civil Liberties Association here:
As well, Neighbourhood Legal Services is tracking Emergency Measures Tickets using the following form (respondents can choose to have their report shared with the Canadian Civil Liberties Association):
To keep track of tickets and offences to date across Canada, please refer to the website Policing the Pandemic.
Justice for Children and Youth have also created the following resources:
For information about the law related to COVID-19, or for legal advice or assistance, refer to the following:
For More Information Contact:
This Announcement Relates To:
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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1. TDIN in the Media
2. Important Alerts
4. COVID-19 Assessment Centres
Drop-ins
Housing Stabilsation Fund
Other Local Services and Amenities
7. Tools and Resources
