TORONTO, ON–Premier Ford’s new encampment policy – released today in a letter to a handful of Mayors – will fail to resolve encampments and further traumatize people who are forced to live in them, says the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH). 

“We all want urgent resolution of encampments. We all agree that nobody should be forced to live in a tent. But the Premier’s policies won’t reduce encampments – in fact, they will likely make things worse. They will lead to more people in prison for the crime of not having a home, more people dying from overdoses in alleyways, and homelessness will spread further into all corners of communities,” says Tim Richter, CAEH President & CEO. “We should be protecting our most vulnerable citizens, not locking them up.” 

While this letter appears ‘softer’ in its language, Premier Ford’s new plan shows that he wants to introduce legislation that will criminalize our neighbours experiencing homelessness, giving cities more power to increase enforcement and dismantle encampments when residents have nowhere else to go. 

“Homelessness is a housing problem. Ontario has failed to build enough affordable housing for Ontarians. Until this issue is addressed, encampments will not decrease,” adds Richter. 

There is another way. Communities like St Thomas, ON, are having success at reducing homelessness and ending encampments through housing-centered approaches. They have ended homelessness for all Veterans and have sustained reductions in chronic homelessness. Because of their success, Mayor Joe Preston removed his support for Premier Ford’s plan this week. 

Since these plans were floated a month ago, thousands of Ontarians and Canadians have stood up and let their city councils and the provincial government know that they want housing, not handcuffs, for their homeless neighbours. The Homes, Not Handcuffs campaign is continuing to grow. These plans show that Premier Ford is ignoring the majority of Ontarians. 

“This plan will cost millions of dollars, but it will not do much to get folks out of encampments and into permanent housing. We strongly encourage Premier Ford to think again, listen to the experts who are having success reducing homelessness in the province, and introduce evidence-based measures to end homelessness,” says Richter.