Encampment Protocol

On June 26, Toronto City Council adopted the City’s updated Interdivisional Protocol for Encampments which affirms a commitment to using a human rights-based approach in our encampment response and outlines the process for removing encampments. Ultimately, the City aims to establish trust with individuals in encampments, and to connect them to shelter and housing without the need for enforcement. As such, trespass notices will only be issued after people living in encampments have been provided with connections to appropriate supports and indoor space.

On November 13, Toronto City Council amended the Interdivisional Protocol for Encampments to address encampments located near playgrounds, daycares, and schools. The updated protocol prioritizes the removal of encampments within 200-meters of playgrounds, daycares, and schools, with a particular focus on those within 50 meters due to their significant impact. The protocol now requires staff to respond within 24 hours and limits the number of shelter offers to a maximum of three before proceeding with the removal of the encampment. In Toronto Centre this means that encampments in any of our parks fall within a 200-meter radius of a playground, daycare, or school.

A lack of available indoor space is what is currently preventing the City from relocating people in encampments. That’s why I requested that staff prioritize the development of a rapid shelter program that addresses the unique needs of people living in encampments. As a City, this is one option we can explore to expand our shelter supply, but this is not a burden we should have to carry alone. We require support from both the provincial and federal governments to adequately shelter and house our residents, including the many refugee claimants we welcome.

Read the Interdivisional Protocol for Encampments

 

The City's approach can be summarized in a six-point strategy:

Engage: those individuals willing to speak with staff in order to determine the most appropriate solution. This often requires patience, openness, and a willingness to understand that no one chooses sub-optimal living conditions (such as living in an encampment), but is rather forced to by circumstances often beyond the individual's control.

Offer: those individuals whom staff have engaged in conversation by providing a pathway to housing (subject to availability). It is important to remember that not all residents of the park immediately accept offers for housing / shelter, which means staff must continue to engage and build rapport in order to convince these individuals.

Provide: housing and / or shelter space to individuals if available, as well as other wraparound services such as mental health and addiction treatment, in order to get to the root cause of the crisis.

Clear: any unoccupied structures whose residents have permanently vacated the premises.

Install: signage to ensure future encampments do not proliferate. The City cannot install signage within an area that is currently occupied, but can (and have) in Allan Gardens once the preceding measures have been enacted.

Monitor: for any new encampments, remaining vigilant and alert.

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