Toronto advocates are speaking out against a rise in hate speech and violent crimes towards unhoused communities following the alleged murder of a homeless man last month.
This week, Toronto Police Services revealed a 20 year-old-man and 12-year-old boy had been arrested in connection with the violent beating and death of a homeless man and violent attacks on several other vulnerable people.
Police allege that 20-year-old Isaiah Byers violently attacked the 62-year-old man in August, the man was subsequently treated in hospital and released but later died on Sept. 4.
Outreach Team Lead for Sanctuary Toronto, Greg Cook, tells Now Toronto this disturbing case is one of many that’s been reported over the years, which coincides with a rise in anti-homelessness speech that he and other workers often come across.
“The growing hatred towards people who don’t have housing, whether it’s in the media or on social media… is really concerning,” Cook said. “As a result, we’re seeing that message being heard by young people, by people in general; that unhoused people are an easy target and a worthy target.”
Organizer for the Housing and Justice Network Lorraine Lam also points to a rise in hateful speech and messaging towards the unhoused community as a growing concern. Lam says this type of language is translating into violence in real life.
“When we talk about the violence that people who are unhoused experience… It really is about the dehumanization of how people perceive them and therefore justify various behaviours that dehumanize people, such as unprovoked attacks,” Lam said.
Lam adds this dehumanization has even led to local neighbourhoods being more vocal about their disdain towards people who are unhoused, often fighting back against the development of shelters in the area.
She specifically points to residents in Willowdale wanting to set up neighbourhood watches due to a shelter coming to the area.
“The perceptions and the things that people are saying publicly about unhoused people seem to be ramping up,” Lam said.
Cook said the unhoused community are feeling the effects of this, and says he works with people every night who are scared for their well-being.
He says that there are very little safety measures and protections for the unhoused community, and many are instead forced to rely on one another to remain safe.
“Other than self defense, there’s not a lot. I think a huge reason why people put tents together or sleep together is for safety,” he said.
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But that’s become a challenge for unhoused individuals due to encampments being dismantled and unhoused people being served eviction notices by the city, such as for the residents in the Dufferin Grove Encampment this week.
“What happens is you’re destroying a community’s way of looking out for each other and sending them to new parks where they have to set up new systems of infrastructure to support each other,” Lam said.
But both workers say the real protection and prevention methods come from an immediate increase in social and affordable housing.
“We’re not gonna arrest our way out of homelessness, the solution to homelessness is having dignified housing for people and ensuring that people have access to the support and the choices that they need in order to thrive,” Lam said.
Cook also agrees with Lam, and says more shelter space is needed in the city and currently it’s nearly “impossible” to get a bed due to the shelter system being at capacity.
TORONTO PLANNING TO BUILD 20 NEW SHELTERS BY 2033
The City of Toronto tells Now Toronto that it is committed to a “people-first, human rights-based approach” to help unhoused individuals get off the streets.
“Outreach staff and partners work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to build trusting relationships, help address immediate health and safety needs and connect individuals living outside to shelter and housing,” Russell Baker, manager, Media Relations and Issues Management, said in an email statement on Thursday.
According to the 2024 Street Needs Report, more than 15,400 people are experiencing homelessness in Toronto.
Currently, the city provides shelter and support services to between 9,000-10,000 people each night, according to the City of Toronto, and is working to help more individuals in need.
“Even with this space, we know demand for shelter services continues to outpace the number of available spaces. To help address this need, the City is working to build up to 20 new shelters citywide by 2033. These new sites will be smaller and purpose-built to better meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness and integrate into surrounding communities,” Baker said.
With the winter season approaching, Baker says the city will activate additional capacity and enhanced street outreach services from Nov. 15 to Apr. 15.
“Last year’s winter plan added approximately 1,200 shelter system and housing spaces throughout the winter season. The 2025/2026 plan will be announced this fall,” he said.
In addition to providing temporary shelter, the city works to help unhoused individuals transition out of shelters into permanent housing, with more than 3,500 clients moved so far this year.
However, the city emphasizes that in order to address the homelessness crisis an intergovernmental response is required.
“The City continues to work with and advocate other levels of government for additional investments in housing, shelter, mental health, and wage and income supports so that we can offer compassionate, dignified and long-term solutions to those most vulnerable in Toronto,” Baker said.
Anyone who sees an unhoused individual in need of assistance can contact 311 and the city says a member of its Streets to Homes outreach staff will be dispatched to offer services and support.
