By: Victoria Gibson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Toronto Star
Three downtown Toronto encampments were cleared out Wednesday, with some occupants moving to indoor shelter, but others who refused the city’s offers displaced to unknown locations.
The clearings at George Hislop Park, Barbara Hall Park and on a median of University Avenue alarmed some homeless services workers, who are concerned that several occupants were ejected without a clear destination.
“During this time of COVID in particular, shuffling people around the city is just poor public heath policy,” said Lorraine Lam, a Sanctuary Ministries outreach worker who stumbled across the clearing at George Hislop. “We have no idea where they’re going to go.”
City spokesperson Brad Ross said two people at George Hislop accepted offers to move inside; three did not. He said everyone at Barbara Hall and on University accepted indoor referrals.
“There is inside space available for all who were approached. They have the right to decline, but the city has the obligation to ensure parks are able to be used safely by all,” Ross said.
The city issued trespass notices at the three sites Monday. Asked if Wednesday’s events would be a precursor to other clearings, Ross did not directly answer. “We’re focused on ensuring people in encampments can safely come inside,” he said.
Toronto Drop-In Network consultant Pat O’Connell said the city assured staff in the homelessness sector on Tuesday that notice would be given before encampment clearings.
“The city has made many promises to us about consultation and inclusion in decision-making and have not followed through,” she said. “I anticipate given how these encampments were cleared that the city will proceed the same way with the others.”
Photographs Lam shared with the Star show what appear to be security officers lining the sidewalk, as she said the remaining occupants packed their belongings.
“They come with a spirit of coercion versus collaboration,” Lam claimed. “I can’t help but wonder if all three of those residents who were in the encampments today, if they refused to go to the hotel shelters and they didn’t want to clear their tents, what would have happened?”
Ross said those who didn’t accept indoor spots left “freely and without incident.” Asked about the security officers, he said their presence was to “ensure the safety of everyone involved.”
As of March 31, the city believed between 400 and 450 people were living outside. As the weather has warmed, the city has distributed trespass notices to numerous camps, including some that warned of an April 6 deadline. The city later backed off that deadline, as the hotel it was using as a priority site for encampment occupants was hit by a COVID-19 outbreak.
As of Tuesday, there were 115 infections across 11 shelters, including a half-dozen hotels.
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