Moss Park Armoury

[Admiral Beez]

Yes. Toronto receives shelter money from the province, that most regions do not receive, exactly due to the city collecting the provinces homeless and downtrodden. Now, the amount the province sends is certainly up for debate but in theory the GTA is fully compensated for homeless migrants.

Economies of scale through centralization of services should make it cheaper for the province overall too; many require services beyond basic housing such as treatment for mental health.

I'd prefer we gave rent subsidies and had regional mental health care services as as an incentive to people to stay in their own regions. Help people where they are, rather than bringing them all into tent cities in Toronto.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Yep it's being cleared out. They were served notices yesterday.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1283820957942063105

Unless we have proper enforcement these tent encampments will just move to another park in the city. Do we really want to become Seattle or San Francisco with hundreds sleeping in tents in our parks? Toronto has gone to hell in my now 30 years living here, with beggars at the roadside, squatters in our parks, rubbish in our ravines, graffiti on our buildings, etc. The only respite this city gets from the blight of non-enforcement and lack of housing is when winter clears the streets.

The province should be in charge of building social housing. Anyone who doesn't need to be in the city could have the option to be relocated closer to family. Where I live in downtown east I swear a full 1/3 of the shelters must be in a 4 km circle of my house. Enough with the shelters, build housing (supportive when necessary) to get these encampments, beggars and vagrants off the streets. If we can spend billions on Covid, we can spend it here.

 

[Towered]

Yep it's being cleared out. They were served notices yesterday.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1283820957942063105

So...where are they supposed to go?

 

[Admiral Beez]

So...where are they supposed to go?

To another park, I imagine. They weren't there last year, so they must have been somewhere else. But the old adage of go back to where you came from isn't going to get much traction in today's political and social justice climate. So with TPS and Bylaw ignoring laws about sleeping in parks overnight, I'd guess they'll be in another park tonight.

 

[DSC]

To another park, I imagine. They weren't there last year, so they must have been somewhere else. But the old adage of go back to where you came from isn't going to get much traction in today's political and social justice climate. So with TPS and Bylaw ignoring laws about sleeping in parks overnight, I'd guess they'll be in another park tonight.

You really do seem to be a 'glass half empty' kind of guy. From Wong-Tam's email of today:

"I want to thank City Staff who continue to do incredible work in the face of terrible circumstances. In addition to housing people from encampments at George Hislop, Trinity Square, and Barbara Hall parks over the past few weeks, since Sunday over 140 individuals staying at Moss Park have accepted accommodations indoors, where they will receive regular meals, clean accommodations, and essential health checks. We must keep working to ensure that we are able to find them long-term and permanent housing. Finally, City Staff will diligently continue to encourage the remaining individuals who refused indoor accommodations to accept service."

 

[Admiral Beez]

You really do seem to be a 'glass half empty' kind of guy. From Wong-Tam's email of today:

"I want to thank City Staff who continue to do incredible work in the face of terrible circumstances. In addition to housing people from encampments at George Hislop, Trinity Square, and Barbara Hall parks over the past few weeks, since Sunday over 140 individuals staying at Moss Park have accepted accommodations indoors, where they will receive regular meals, clean accommodations, and essential health checks. We must keep working to ensure that we are able to find them long-term and permanent housing. Finally, City Staff will diligently continue to encourage the remaining individuals who refused indoor accommodations to accept service."

Thanks DSC, I didn't know this. The situation is less deserving my cynical response, good on the city then. As I said above, over my 30+ years in Toronto I've watched it decline and decline, but you're good to remind me to be optimistic.

 

[Admiral Beez]

So...where are they supposed to go?

My question, is where do they get the tents from? Many of these tents look brand new.

 

[Towered]

My question, is where do they get the tents from? Many of these tents look brand new.

I read that there are charitable organizations handing them out.