Toronto’s ombudsman says the city’s de-camping protocol is “unreasonable” because it’s outdated and a detailed plan needs to be created to replace the city’s approach.
City Ombudsman Kwame Addo released an interim report Thursday into an investigation into the evictions of campers in city parks last year.
The city sent dozens of law enforcement officers and uniformed police officers to remove homeless encampments in multiple parks last summer, including Trinity-Bellwoods Park, Alexandra Park and Lamport Stadium Park.
The city said the eviction followed months of engagement with camp residents to encourage them to accept alternative housing. City officials said they had no choice but to clear the camps because they were unsafe and illegal.
The clearance resulted in violent clashes between police and protesters and several arrests, and a significant degree of public concern was raised about the level of force used during the eviction.
In September 2021, the Office of the Toronto Ombudsman opened an investigation into the evictions, but its investigation did not assess the conduct of Toronto police officers, as it was outside of its mandate.
“The fact is, this is a very important issue and the city is still clearing the encampments. So we want to make sure that moving forward the approach that the city takes to deal with encampments is something that’s done on a fairer basis and is more transparent and is more accountable,” said Toronto Ombudsman Kwame Addo in front of CP24 on Thursday afternoon.
“…People living in these camps are the most vulnerable in the city. Therefore, it is important that the city treats them with respect and dignity,” he added.
For its investigation, the ombudsman’s office says it conducted 50 interviews with city officials and community stakeholders, reviewed approximately 11,000 documents and spoke with 43 people who lived in camps.
The office revealed eight recommendations the city should act on immediately to ensure the city’s response to the encampments is done in a “consistent and coordinated manner, following a process that is well-established, transparent and understood by all.”
The office is recommending that the city develop a detailed plan to update its outdated interagency protocol for serving homeless people camping in public spaces (IDPs).
“That document was out of date, last updated in 2005. And we also heard from city staff that not only did it need to be updated, but it didn’t adequately address the social and human rights issues commonly associated with encampments,” Bye I said.
The report notes that the plan should include project milestones and timelines for completion, and adequate staffing resources should be allocated to the update.
Another recommendation is that the IDP update plan include public consultation to obtain community feedback.
“Groups the city should consult with include people with camp experience, community organizations that provide services to the unhoused, and internal and external housing and human rights stakeholders.” , the report said.
The Office recommends that the City publish detailed summaries of the feedback it receives from these consultations.
In addition to updating its IDP, the ombudsman’s office recommends that the city clearly define the role and mandate of the city’s Office of Encampment and assess what resources it needs to successfully carry out its duties.
The Encampment Office was created in the summer of 2020 to help coordinate the city’s response to encampments.
However, some city officials said the office has been severely under-resourced since day one.”
“Staff commented that the workload for a small team was ‘overwhelming’ and that the office seemed to be simply going from ‘crisis to crisis’ and unable to take a larger, systemic view of camp response due to a lack of resources.” the report says.
Last year, the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) took over the city’s encampment office, but officials raised concerns about whether it was the right move because of its “unique responsibilities,” including supporting people experiencing homelessness and enforcing encampment evictions .
Due to the complexity of the Encampment Office, the ombudsman’s office is recommending that the city consider whether to remain under OEM.
The City of Toronto has accepted the recommendations and is committed to implementing them all.
Mayor John Tory spoke about the report Thursday during the opening of new affordable homes in the city and reiterated that encampments are not safe places to live and city parks should be accessible to everyone.
“While we will continue to do even more, following the ombudsman’s recommendations, to do this better and in a way that is less disruptive and that is even more compassionate, we will make sure that the parks are accessible to be used by all. And that we’re making sure we have more and more projects like this (affordable housing) because that’s where someone who’s been homeless is going to get back on their feet and rebuild their life and have a platform from which to can start a more successful future for themselves from a camp in a public park,” he said.
The city says it will provide updates on its progress with the recommendations by the end of the year and quarterly thereafter.
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