Up now: Councillor Brad Bradford's motion to amend the encampment policy to prioritize the removal of camps close to schools, daycares and playgrounds within 48 hours. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2025.MM34.4
Discussion
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Bradford asks how many encampments there are currently. Staff say there are 355. 255 are located in 92 parks. 199 of them are located within 200 metres of a school, playground or daycare — about 56% of the total.
Bradford asks if the new encampment policy adopted in 2024 led to more encampments or fewer. Staff say a year ago there were 540 encampments. Today, there are 355.
"The motion as-is would not be operationally feasible for us to remove 199 encampments within 48 hours," says GM of Shelters Gord Tanner of the Bradford motion.
Perks asks the City Solicitor if she sees any issues with Bradford's motion. She does! She says the motion may run afoul of rules preventing council from directing enforcement, and could be inconsistent with a court's ruling in Waterloo Region re: encampments.
"Do we currently have enough space in our [shelter] system for everyone who is in an encampment to go?" Perks asks Shelters GM Gord Tanner.
"No," says Tanner.
"I think that's all I needed to hear," says Perks.
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