Arabnews24.ca:Friday 24 March 2023 11:11 AM: Toronto showed "significant unfairness" when it cleared encampments in the summer of 2021 and chose to act quickly despite there being no urgency to do so, an investigation into the controversial moves has found.
In a report released Friday, Toronto Ombudsman Kwame Addo says the city chose "speed over people" when it forcefully cleared encampments in Trinity Bellwoods, Alexandra and Lamport Stadium parks.
"Our investigation found the City displayed insufficient regard for the people it moved out of the parks," Addo said.
"It failed to live up to its stated commitments to fairness and a human rights-based approach to housing."
The investigation focused on how the city planned the encampment clearings, engaged stakeholders and communicated with the public. It found a number of problems, including that the city treated the clearings as a "top priority" despite there being no evidence to suggest the issue required that level of urgency.
Addo found the city chose to clear encampments quickly rather than focusing on the needs of those living in them. As well, it said the city was aware people living there had complex mental health needs, "yet failed to include plans to address those needs.
"Encampments and supporting the people living in them are complex. But the City owes a particularly high duty of fairness to these residents," he said.
'Confusing' communication
Addo also found that the city failed to foster meaningful engagement with people living in them, but rather communicated in a way that was "confusing, lacked transparency and showed a lack of understanding about their reality."
They also did not provide any dedicated onsite staff for people living in the encampments to speak with, despite the city knowing they had questions which had gone unanswered, the report adds.
In an interim report released last July, Addo concluded that city staff rely on an outdated and inconsistent approach when it comes to dealing with unhoused people in public parks.
Friday's report includes 23 recommendations in addition to the eight made in the interim findings.
Some of Addo's recommendations include:
- Formalizing the creation of a group of city divisions with a "diverse set of skills and expertise" to collaboratively lead its encampment response.
- Prioritizing the needs of those living in the encampment, if it determines it is necessary to move them out.
- Creating a detailed plan outlining how it will support access to physical and mental health services for those living in encampments.
- Creating a strategy for engaging with people living in encampments, including specific strategies for Indigenous communities, and racialized and equity-deserving groups.
"While my recommendations will not solve all the challenges of encampments," Addo says, "it is my hope they will ensure that, from now on, the City responds to encampments and treats the people living in them with fairness, transparency, and accountability."
In a statement, the city said it "accepts the recommendations" of the final ombudsman's report.
"The City is committed to the use of a people-first, client-centred approach to help connect those living in encampments with services including shelter and housing," it said.
At the time of the encampment clearings examined in the review, there were some 370 encampments in 58 "greenspace" locations citywide.
"Although encampment activity is often seasonal, as of March 23 the number of park encampments is 75 in 23 City greenspaces."
The city also said it is reviewing the ombudsman's final report "in detail" and staff will respond to questions when the report is presented at council.
