TO by-law violates Charter of Rights and Freedoms:
Lawyers urge Toronto Council to drop homeless ban

A dozen lawyers and legal advocates (listed below) have joined with the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee in calling on Toronto City Council to drop its proposed anti-homeless bylaw for Nathan Phillips Square. The lawyers are supporting the five amendments to Toronto’s draft “Streets into Homes” plan that would put more city money and other resources into providing more truly affordable housing and better street outreach services for the homeless.

“The proposed ban on camping at Nathan Phillips Square targets one group of Torontonians based solely on their status as homeless persons,” says civil rights lawyer Peter Rosenthal, a professor at the University of Toronto. “In my opinion, the ban violates equality rights and the right to security of the person guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.”

The lawyers are supporting the five amendments to Toronto’s proposed homeless strategy recommended by the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee. These amendments include:

·         First, drop the proposed ban on “camping” at Nathan Phillips Square.

·         Second, commit at least an additional $14.2 million in city dollars for new social (subsidized) housing to match the $14.2 million in re-allocated dollars.

·         Third, create a new city-community committee to ensure delivery of new homes.

·        Fourth, set the year one target at 3,000 truly affordable new homes.

·        Fifth, amend the street outreach strategy to make sure that temporary beds that will be lost in the spring are replaced and to effectively support existing outreach services.