Cold weather and the effects on those experiencing homelessness

The Public Gallery wrote no story on this item. What follows is the city’s own record of what happened to it, as filed: nothing on this page is summarised or scored by us.

The decision

2023-02-07 · Toronto City Council · amended

As filed

City Council on February 7 and 8, 2023, adopted the following: 1. City Council call on the Provincial Government to require all large municipalities in Ontario to provide shelter space proportionate to their population, and that the Federal Government provide funding and support for refugees seeking emergency shelter in Toronto. 2. City Council request the General Manager, Shelter Support and Housing Administration to include, in the upcoming report to the Economic and Community Development Committee, the feasibility of providing 24/7 drop in spaces either at City of Toronto facilities or at locations provided by community/faith-based institutions.

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3. City Council request the General Manager, Shelter Support and Housing Administration to include, when conducting the review of policies and procedures of emergency warming centres operations requested in Item EC1.9, Review Of Extreme Weather Supports for Homeless and Under-Housed Individuals: a. a roundtable with homeless serving organizations, including faith-based groups, physicians, medical experts who work with people experiencing homelessness, and people with lived experience; and b. a survey of homeless serving organizations, including faith-based groups, physicians, medical experts who work with people experiencing homelessness, and people with lived experience. 4. City Council request the Mayor and the Chair, Economic and Community Development Committee, to reach out to City of Toronto faith leaders to explore the feasibility of creating partnerships with the Shelter Support and Housing Administration for the purpose of using available space in churches, mosques, gurdwaras, temples, and synagogues as warming centres. 5. City Council request each Councillor to join Ward 11 in identifying an available location in their ward for a warming centre or respite centre that can be opened, subject to budget approval and availability of staffing, this winter, and to notify the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration of the locations they have identified.

The vote

Adopt Item · Carried, 4-3

For (4)Alejandra Bravo, Ausma Malik, Chris Moise, Gord Perks

Against (2)Michael Thompson, Nick Mantas

The whole record, all 6 members

Every name opens that member’s record.

On the agenda

As the city filed it

The City of Toronto is facing a sharp increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness. Toronto's shelter system is unable to support the number of residents in need, placing extra pressures on the city's drop-in and warming centres. While the best Public Health outcome is to ensure all residents of Toronto have safe and secure housing, measures must be taken now to protect those individuals in need.

Staff recommended

Councillor Ausma Malik, Councillor Alejandra Bravo, and Councillor Gord Perks recommend that the Board of Health: 1. Direct the Medical Officer of Health to establish a working table, including physicians, medical experts who work with people experiencing homelessness, and people with lived experience, to conduct a review of the intersection of health and homelessness, and provide the results of the review and any recommendations to the Medical Officer of Health, for a report back to the Board at the earliest opportunity.

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2. Request the Medical Officer of Health to support the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration in their review of all policies and procedures related to the opening and operations of Emergency Warming Centres as directed in Item 2023.EC1.9 . 3. Recommend that City Council declare a public health crisis in the City of Toronto based on systemic failure of all three levels of government to provide adequate 24-hour, drop-in and respite indoor spaces, and call for the immediate provision of safe, accessible 24-hour respite spaces that are accessible through walk-in access. 4. Recommend that Toronto City Council direct the General Manager, Shelter Support and Housing Administration to provide 24/7 indoor warming locations until April 15, 2023, possibly including City of Toronto Warming Centres, and locations provided by community organizations, including faith-based groups, that would provide low-barrier, walk-in access to people in need of a safe place to spend the night.

Considered

2023-01-16 · Board of Health · adopted
Decision as filed
The Board of Health recommends that: 1. City Council declare a public health crisis in the City of Toronto based on systemic failure of all three levels of government to provide adequate 24-hour, drop-in and respite indoor spaces, and call for the immediate provision of safe, accessible 24-hour respite spaces that are accessible through walk-in access. 2. City Council direct the General Manager, Shelter Support and Housing
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Administration to provide 24/7 indoor warming locations until April 15, 2023, possibly including City of Toronto Warming Centres, and locations provided by community organizations, including faith-based groups, that would provide low-barrier, walk-in access to people in need of a safe place to spend the night.
Clerk’s note
The Board of Health: 1. Directed the Medical Officer of Health to establish a working table, including physicians, medical experts who work with people experiencing homelessness, and people with lived experience, to conduct a review of the intersection of health and homelessness, and provide the results of the review and any recommendations to the Medical Officer of Health, for a report back to the Board at the earliest opportunity.
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2. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to support the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration in their review of all policies and procedures related to the opening and operations of Emergency Warming Centres as directed in Item 2023.EC1.9.
2023-02-07 · Toronto City Council · amended

On the record

The item as the City filed it