Thurs, June 16, 2021. Health Providers Against Poverty (HPAP) and Street Nurses Network (SNN) delivered Public Health Violation notices to the leaders of the City of Toronto’s “task force table” on Encampments

Thurs, June 16, 2021. Health Providers Against Poverty (HPAP) and Street Nurses Network (SNN) delivered the attached Public Health Violation notices to the leaders of the City of Toronto’s “task force table” on Encampments: Mayor John Tory, City Manager Chris Murray and Deputy Fire Chief Jim Jessop – demanding they cease and desist with the violent evictions of encampments and take an immediate public health approach. Please feel free to share the attached images online and with your networks. Lots of material on the HPAP twitter feed: https://twitter.com/HPAP_Ontario

#NoEncampmentEvictions #TOPublicHealthFail

With the notices, HPAP and SNN are also releasing a letter issuing urgent demands to Mayor John Tory, City of Toronto Council Members, & Dr. Eileen De Villa, Toronto Medical Officer of Health, which can be read here: Health Providers Against Poverty and Street Nurses Network call on Mayor John Tory, Toronto Medical Officer of Health Dr Eileen De Villa to end encampment evictions.

“We are calling on the City to immediately cease and desist the violent displacement of encampment residents across the City”, HPAP Co-Chair Dr Maggie Hulbert said. “Violent security actions like we saw at the Lamport encampment eviction a few weeks ago only compound the physical and psychological trauma experienced by encampment residents. These attempted clearings are also not in keeping with healthy public policy. The Mayor’s lack of interest in meaningful engagement with the residents of these sites, as well as with people living in Shelters, is incredibly disappointing, and contradictory to City Council’s own recently passed Motion to engage encampments using Housing First and Human Rights based approaches.”

Around the world, public health agencies and human rights organizations, including Public Health Ontario, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the United Nations have issued guidance advising against encampment evictions. These reports and guidelines cite considerations including the risks attendant with separating residents from their communities and health supports, significant increased risk of fatal overdoses, and concerns related to increasing potential COVID-19 exposures for residents within shelters and other temporary accommodations.

#NoEncampmentEvictions #TOPublicHealthFail

Attend the June 2, 2021 LTB hearing to support Inglewood Arms Tenants

Attend the June 2, 2021 LTB hearing to support in attendance Inglewood Arms Tenants Status /  Future Sale and Development

The owner is claiming the folks living there are Hotel guests …even though we have tenure records of up to 10 years +
This is our third attempt to complete a hearing on this issue
  • first cancelled due to pandemic onset
  • second cancelled due to landlord non-attendance
  • third coming June 2

HPAP & SHJN Members consultation to help develop the official Community Safety & Wellbeing plan for Toronto on Tues, May 18, 6:30pm – 8:00pm

Hello members of Health Providers Against Poverty (HPAP) and Shelter & Housing Justice Network (SHJN), you are invited to a consultation to help develop the official Community Safety & Wellbeing plan for Toronto (details below).

Apologies for the late notice on this, but for those who can make it, the consultation will be TOMORROW:
Tues May 18th, 6:30pm -8:00pm
Via Zoom (invite link below)
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85465237007?pwd=aHFlK2FmQW53VFZHTHFaajljU1IwZz09
If you want to join late, and can’t make it until 7 for example, please still join. Your feedback would be welcomed.

 

The plan is a large undertaking, which is creating the roadmap for taking Toronto from a city that focuses so heavily on emergency response, to a culture of prevention, early intervention and social development, including becoming a trauma-informed-city (in every service and function), which resources and reacts according to actual needs.  The plan will prioritize four areas of risk:

– Community Trauma
– Community Violence
– Harm and Victimization
– Community Justice.
This plan will bring together a multitude of initiatives and strategies, covering: 
Addictions, 
Mental Health, 
Policing Alternatives/Reforms, 
Crisis Intervention models, 
Anti-BIPOC Racism, 
Access and Equity, 
Supportive and Social Housing, 
Client Discharges, 
Homelessness,
Disabilities (Seen/Unseen),
Community Justice Centres (restorative and alternative justice models), 
Gun Violence, 
Hate Crimes, 
Grief & Trauma, 
Indigenous-Led Solutions, 
Reducing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), 
Sex Trade & Human Trafficking, 
Traum Informed City model,
Place-Based Solutions, 
Breaking the silos between all of these and more…. 

We have been meeting and working with countless groups and communities on these fronts.The consultation is looking for honest, direct feedback and will be asking about:

1. Building off of what works (and Eliminating what does not) – Advance, Eliminate and Re-tool existing programs, strategies and policies that support vulnerable populations.

2. Addressing the Gaps – Identify barriers to service access and policies that contribute to harm and victimization.

3. Partnership and Innovation – Identify the role the City can play (or should not play) to respond and support further coordination/collaboration.

 

4. Action – Identify recommendations/actions/big ideas/existing strategies or reports/pilots to embed into the Safe TO report.
Frontline workers should feel free to invite their frontline colleagues to participate in this consultation!

The consultation will be facilitated by Tommy Taylor, (Frontline Shelter Worker, SHJN & HPAP Steering Committee) and Scott Mckean from the City of Toronto. Attendees are invited to speak as freely and openly as possible! Confidentiality of identities will be maintained in all reports derived from the consultations.

Tommy Taylor
SHJN & HPAP Steering Committee

THE FEDS MUST TAKE ACTION ON HOUSING!!!!

The 2021 Federal Budget is dropping on Monday!
The housing crisis in Toronto and across Canada has gone past critical. Affordability, supply, homelessness…all are spiraling out of control. Since the Feds got out of creating social housing in the 90’s, the situation has gotten progressively worse. PLEASE SHARE:
Who to Contact?
1. MP Ahmed Hussen (York South – Weston) Minister for (National Housing Strategy) (Family, Children & Social Development)
Email: Ahmed.Hussen@parl.gc.ca
2. MP Adam Vaughan (Spadina – Fort York) Parliamentary Secretary
Email: Adam.Vaughan.c1@parl.gc.ca
Ph: 416-533-2710

3.Toronto Liberal MPs (or call/email them):  Arif Virani, Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Carolyn Bennett, Chrystia Freeland, Bill Blair and others, and of course Justin Trudeau!

FIND YOUR MP AND CONTACT THEM!!
Thanks to Toronto Drop-in Network, Better Dwelling, David Hulchanski, Joy Connelly and others.

Thurs, Apr 1, 2021: DAY 03! Federal Demands Day of Action

Visit SHJN Facebook Page

Justin Trudeau and the Federal Government need to step up now!  Toronto is in crisis and #WeDeamndActionTO! The housing crisis in Toronto is at an all time high, making it near impossible to find pathways out of homelessness.  COVID-19 outbreaks are rampant in Toronto shelter spaces, isolation spaces are full, encampments are being harmfully evicted (#NoEncampmentEvictions ) – the Liberals must take real action on housing now! See the demands of over 60 organizations in Toronto, representing countless frontline & healthcare workers, outreach and volunteer networks, faith groups and more. Read our letter and list of demands to the City, the Province and Federal Governments here: https://docs.google.com/…/1iGR5k4epEX3vu8Tby3M9x0R…/edit

WATCH:

Featured speakers from Toronto Drop-in Networks press event:

1. Susan Bender, Manager, Toronto Drop-in Network: https://youtu.be/f2v0YCUavao?t=91

2. Victor Willis, Executive Director, Parkdale Activity-Recreation Centre PARC : https://youtu.be/f2v0YCUavao?t=669

Rt. Rev. Andrew Asbil, Bishop of Toronto, Anglican Diocese of Toronto: https://youtu.be/f2v0YCUavao?t=420

LET THEM KNOW!
Share this post and Contact the below Federal officials and demand action!

1. Reach out to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and these Toronto Liberal MPs today!:

Adam Vaughan, Arif Virani, Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Carolyn Bennett, Marci Ien, Bill Blair, Chrystia Freeland

3. Contact Your Local MP (if not above)

Wed, March 31, 2021: DAY 02! Provincial Demands Day of Action

It’s time to call out (Doug) FordNation and the Ontario Provincial Government! #WeDemandActionTO – The crisis with COVID outbreaks and conditions in Toronto shelter spaces is critical – isolation spaces are full, positive clients are being sent back to shelters to try and isolate, the Ford’s Government’s refusal to fund supportive housing, prevent evictions and other initiatives in Toronto is shameful. See the demands of over 60 organizations in Toronto, representing countless frontline & healthcare workers, outreach and volunteer networks, faith groups and more. Doug Ford and the Conservatives must act now!!!! Read our letter and list of demands to the City, the Province and Federal Governments here: https://docs.google.com/…/1iGR5k4epEX3vu8Tby3M9x0R…/edit
WATCH:
These are featured speakers from Toronto Drop-in Network’s March 11th press event:
1. Dr. Naheed Dosani, Palliative Care Physician, St. Michael’s Hospital: https://youtu.be/f2v0YCUavao?t=254
2. Myriam Frausto, Frontline Worker, Sistering 24 Hour Drop In: https://youtu.be/f2v0YCUavao?t=887
3. Melisa Bayon, Interim Executive Director, Progress Toronto: https://youtu.be/f2v0YCUavao?t=1116
HOW TO HELP:

Share this post, and also, Toronto can get 1,100 new supportive housing units this year but the Province has to step up and fund it! Join our friends at Progress Toronto and send an urgent message (which you can edit to add additional demands) to your MPP and the Premier to fund supportive housing now: https://www.progresstoronto.ca/end-homelessness

LET THEM KNOW!

Contact the below Provincial officials and demand action!

1. Doug Ford, FordNation: Twitter @FordNation, Phone: 416-325-1941, premier@ontario.ca
2. Toronto’s Conservative (and former) MPPs on Twitter (or call/email!):
Vincent Ke, Robin Martin, Kinga Surma, Christine Hogarth MPP, Aris Babikian, Christina Mitas, Raymond Cho, Stan Cho, (frmr)
Roman Baber
3. Contact Your Local MPP (if not above)

March 30, 31, & April 1, 2021: Take part in 3 Days of Urgent Action this week! 

We are asking you to take part in 3 Days of Urgent Action this week! 
We are following up on the letter and demands we all signed earlier this month regarding the urgent actions needed to support people experiencing homelessness in Toronto. Currently, the spiraling COVID outbreaks in multiple sites, the lack of isolation spaces, the oppressive eviction actions in encampments, the lack of critical housing and supports funding in the Provincial budget and so much more demand immediate attention. We held a powerful press event on March 11 to present these demands, however, the lack of dedicated responses to our demands has only worsened an already dire situation.

We are holding 3 days of targeted awareness and action, one day each for every level of government. 

Tues March 30 – City of Toronto 
Wed March 31 – Province of Ontario
Thur April 01 – Federal Government

 

Today we are telling John Tory and the City of Toronto: #WeDemandActionTO & #NoEncampmentEvictions! The crisis with COVID outbreaks and conditions in Toronto shelter spaces is critical -isolation spaces are full, positive clients are being sent back to shelters to try and isolate…and the looming forced eviction of encampment residents is unacceptable. See the demands of over 60 organizations in Toronto, representing countless frontline & healthcare workers, outreach and volunteer networks, faith groups and more. This City must act now!!!

Read our letter and list of demands to the City, the Province and Federal Governments here: https://docs.google.com/…/1iGR5k4epEX3vu8Tby3M9x0R…/edit
WATCH:

These are featured speakers from Toronto Drop-in Network’s March 11th press event, presenting the different demands to the City:

1. Leigh Kern, Reverend, Toronto Urban Native Ministry: https://youtu.be/f2v0YCUavao?t=2650
2. Brian Cleary, Former Shelter Resident: https://youtu.be/f2v0YCUavao?t=2066
3. Angie and Gru, Former Encampment Residents: https://youtu.be/f2v0YCUavao?t=2286
4. Calvin Henschell -Regent Park Community Health Centre: https://youtu.be/f2v0YCUavao?t=1449
5. Melody Grant -Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre: https://youtu.be/f2v0YCUavao?t=1287
6. Maria Scotton & Danny Anckle, Cecil Centre: https://youtu.be/f2v0YCUavao?t=1712
7. Alex Statham and Tiina Eldridge, West Neighbourhood House: https://youtu.be/f2v0YCUavao?t=3182
8. A.J. Withers, Shelter and Housing Justice Network: https://youtu.be/f2v0YCUavao?t=3408
HOW TO HELP:
Spread these demands and message, but also, our friends at the Encampment Support Network (ESN) have put out an urgent call to action (use this amazing tool kit here) regarding the April 6th eviction date the City of Toronto has posted for encampment residents. Please take part to protect our neighbours!!! Use #NoEncampmentEvictions and #ShareThePark .
LET THEM KNOW!
Contact the below City officials and demand action!
1. Mayor John Tory, 416-397-2489, mayor_tory@toronto.ca, TW: @john_tory , TW: @CityofToronto
2. Gord Perks, Ward 4, Parkdale-High Park, 416-392-7919 , councillor_perks@toronto.ca, TW: @gordperks
3. Kristyn Wong-Tam: Ward 13, Toronto Centre, 416-392-7903 , councillor_wongtam@toronto.ca , TW: @kristynwongtam
4. Joe Cressy: Ward 10, Spadina-Fort York, Chair of Health Board, 416-392-4044 , councillor_cressy@toronto.ca , TW: @joe_cressy
5. Mike Layton: Ward 11, University-Rosedale, 416-392-4009, councillor_layton@toronto.ca , TW: @m_layton
6. Contact Your Local Councillor (if not above)

March 25, 2021: OCAP Speaker Series: Tenant Organizing in Toronto, 7PM

https://www.facebook.com/events/3669772673076105/

Join us tonight, March 25th at 7pm for the relaunch of OCAP’s Speaker Series.

This month features a discussion on Tenant Organizing, with special speakers from Parkdale Organize, People’s Defence, and Inglewood Arms, as the struggle against pandemic evictions and gentrification in the city continues…

Who you’ll be hearing from:

Parkdale Organize is a group of working class people who organize for neighbourhood power. On Saturday, March 27 at 11am there will be a rally for tenants at 55 Triller who have been accused of “illegal acts” and targeted for eviction by the largest landlord in Canada for organizing in their building against disrepair, disrespect and dangerous conditions. As we discuss the eviction crisis and methods of organizing, let us also discuss how we can support and defend tenant organizing in this city that is currently under attack.

People’s Defence was launched in 2017, to establish REAL POWER for OUR CLASS (Poor, Immigrant, and Working-Class People) across the City. Our work is not limited to actions and protests. We’ve organized Tenant Unions door-to-door, and fought together against Corporate Slumlords. We haven’t just gone on rent strike, or stopped people from being evicted; but set up mutual-aid networks, got repairs and sanitation done, distributed food, and come to the defense of individual community members. The need to dismantle Neoliberalism and Neocolonialism has never been clearer. This will be a long battle, but it starts with getting organized & taking a stand in our buildings, schools and workplaces.

The Inglewood Arms is downtown Toronto rooming house that has been home for more than 90 people, many of whom have long term tenancies of up to 10 year. Inglewood provides marginally affordable housing for low income people with fixed incomes and a range of vulnerability issues. It is now for sale and facing the likelihood of purchase by a large corporate developer. Tenants rightly fear they will lose both their housing and their community. OCAP is working with the community in an effort to support tenant resistance activity that can protect their housing rights and prevent displacement into Toronto’s current homeless catastrophe.

Hope to see you there!

OCAP Toronto is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: OCAP Speakers Series
Time: Mar 25, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88295186250?pwd=a3EwLy9JUEVNdlVxQ0NkTHZvcFB0UT09

Meeting ID: 882 9518 6250
Passcode: 778320
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