Jeff Schlemmer

Join me on Jan. 20 at the Reference Library for a celebration of the winning designs from the @westendphoenix.bsky.social + Maytree Canada un/SHELTERED design competition and a discussion with @alexbozikovic.bsky.social and Steve Teekins about our housing crisis: www.eventbrite.com/e/unsheltere...

🧵The AMO has released a devastating report about the state of homelessness in Ontario, which gives us our most accurate figure of how many Ontarians are currently homeless: 81,515 — a 25% increase in two years — of whom 41,512 are chronically homeless. amo.on.ca/sites/defaul...

It’s a strange report. No geographic accounting of the numbers, only 6 footnotes and with all the pictures of tents feeds into media coverage of encampments as ‘the problem.’

Hamilton City staff have worked to sabotage the tiny cabin village from the beginning, when they outrageously claimed they cost $100k/yr per person to operate, when ABTC Kitchener does it for $13k. Somehow must get them to do their jobs.

Toronto man creates tiny mobile homes to help unhoused people escape the cold | CBC News Tired of watching people sleeping outside in the cold, a Toronto man is building tiny mobile homes attached to bicycles to give temporary relief to those who are unhoused

This guy is a hero. Will @cityofto.bsky.social allow him to save lives? The last guy that did this they took to court.

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

In a pre-Xmas bombshell, the Alberta gov't announces it will be bypassing Homeward Trust as its partner in #yeg for distributing funds for housing and homelessness. Some good, some bad to this, but why does this deeply weird gov't insist on controlling everything? #yegcc

The City can tell when they've offered the "truly accessible" accommodation which the courts require, because the encampment dweller will take it. Will prefer it to a leaky freezing tent. Instead of telling them group shelters are great, why not ask them why they think they're not?

Place pets in "supportive care"? Ie. take them away from their homeless owners, but at least not kill them? Not much of an offer compared to a tiny cabin where they could keep their pet.

Provincial funding for housing, homeless prevention 'encouraging' news for Oshawa mayor | INdurham Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter is “encouraged” by provincial legislation that will provide more than $75 million in homelessness prevention programs while giving municipalities and police new resources and…

“Today’s announcement will provide vulnerable individuals who are living in encampments with safe, stable accommodations". Well, about 100 of them province-wide (what $50 million now builds). Mayors Carter and Ashe are easily encouraged. https://buff.ly/3VAXy5I @MayorKevinAshe @insauga

From tents to jails: Advocates fear new Ontario legislation could worsen conditions for encampment residents 'If they had $10,000, they would not be homeless,' says a prominent homeless sector worker.

"From tents to jails: Advocates fear new Ontario legislation could worsen conditions for encampment residents." Only if it works as intended. Provides about $110/person for housing. @_victoriagibson@Diana_C_McNally

Homelessness Encampments Legislation | AMO Later today, the government will table bills to introduce the Safer Municipalities Act and the Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances Act

Today Premier Ford introduced legislation to crack down on encampments. "Enforcement alone will not effectively address encampments. Only provincial investments in housing, health and social services can truly address encampments.” Robin Jones, AMO President

Provincial funding for housing, homeless prevention 'encouraging' news for Oshawa mayor | INdurham Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter is “encouraged” by provincial legislation that will provide more than $75 million in homelessness prevention programs while giving municipalities and police new resources and…

“Today’s announcement will provide vulnerable individuals who are living in encampments with safe, stable accommodations". Well, about 100 of them province-wide (what $50 million now builds). Mayors Carter and Ashe are easily encouraged. https://buff.ly/3VAXy5I... see more

Local advocacy groups concerned about plan to crack down on homeless encampments The Ontario government introduced new legislation Thursday, that if passed, will provide municipalities and police with new tools to dismantle homeless encampments and crack down on illegal drug use…

Local advocacy groups concerned about plan to crack down on homeless encampments

Image of blue and orange tents in a park and a newspaper headline announcing 6 new shelters.

#Toronto announces massive shelter infrastructure direction with “home like” approach. If that means one person or couple to a BR then right on! Congrats to @cityoftoronto on this. @BravoDavenport @MayorOliviaChow #dignity #rightoshelter

What a good day and great end of the council year. Thanks to Guelph council for standing up for charter rights and freedoms, and not taking the bait from the province.

CLOSER LOOK: Doug Ford has a plan to rid your community of encampments In this new feature, Village Media journalists break down the details of a big story making headlines around the province. On today's episode: The end of homeless encampments?

CLOSER LOOK: Doug Ford has a plan to rid your community of encampments

The removal of Vancouver’s tent cities and their impact on Vancouver’s homeless | BCIT News CRAB Park’s encampment after park rangers erected fences on Nov. 7 (Zach Orobko / BCIT News)

The removal of Vancouver’s tent cities and their impact on Vancouver’s homeless.
Encampment residents say decampment destroys their community.

The Big City Mayors apparently sold the solvethecrisis.ca campaign for a promise from the Premier of unspecified future funding for shelters, tied to evicting encampments. Might be one dollar. Did they get a good deal which will solve their citizens' worsening crisis?

Ford government preparing law to dismantle homeless encampments | Globalnews.ca Doug Ford says new legislation is coming that will target homeless encampments across the province, and he's pledging to use the notwithstanding clause if necessary.

“We had an individual in Brock Park in the city of Barrie. That individual was told the police would be coming and that individual moved on.”
Nuttall said he did not know where the man went."

Another success in Mayor Nuttall's world.

globalnews.ca/news/1090317...

Ford promises anti-encampment bill without notwithstanding clause Premier has backed away from pre-emptively using the clause again but is still keeping it in his back pocket

"Housing Minister Calandra was asked if the legislation will lead to a repeat of the controversial clearing of encampments a few years ago where police clashed with protesters when evicting encampments by force."

"We want encampments gone" said Calandra.

www.innisfiltoday.ca/local-news/f...

'Fantastic': Windsor’s mayor applauds premier for encampment response Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens is pleased by the 'positive tone' from Premier Doug Ford in his response to a letter signed by a dozen mayors calling for new encampment measures — including the potential u...

“I just think it’s so un-Canadian to leave people out in a tent when there is [shelter] space available" said Mayor Dilkens. "The Canadian way would be to void their constitutional rights as Canadians and incarcerate them in shelters."
windsor.ctvnews.ca/fantastic-wi...

‘We’ve let this go too long:’ Is Waterloo Region losing the battle against homelessness? The Region of Waterloo warns we may triple the number of homeless people by 2028. What can we do about that, Luisa D’Amato asks

"‘We’ve let this go too long:’ Is Waterloo Region losing the battle against homelessness?
The Region of Waterloo warns we may triple the number of homeless people by 2028."
"Local taxes can’t solve this problem."

Same all over Ontario.

therecord.com/opinion/colu...

Homeless encampments buried in snow, city hall’s response falling short The absence of a Winter Response to Homelessness this year means more Londoners endured this week’s snowstorm in tents and make-shift shelters.

London's "whole of community" leadership in seriously trying to reduce homelessness continues to fade into the Premier's gathering mob rush to forced encampment evictions - the very absence of a serious attempt to address the crisis.
london.ctvnews.ca/homeless-enc...

Homeless encampment returns to the chagrin of residents Ashley Harrington's problem was solved for a short time, but then a homeless encampment returned behind her property.

"I give the mayors that signed the letter full credit because they put feet to the fire to get change and change is coming, I hope." Admirable optimism. Actually the Premier only said he'll tie shelter funding to evictions. Didn't say he'd fund much.

windsor.ctvnews.ca/homeless-enc...

Walking downtown this morn. Lots of recently homeless citizens sleeping bereft of tent shelter. Where they go when the cities ban their tents from parks. Didn't incentivize them into shelters. Maybe we should ask them why? How bad will we let it get before funding some cheap housing for them?

‘We’ve let this go too long:’ Is Waterloo Region losing the battle against homelessness? The Region of Waterloo warns we may triple the number of homeless people by 2028. What can we do about that, Luisa D’Amato asks

"'We've let this go too long:' Is Waterloo Region losing the battle against homelessness?" "We" means Premier Ford. Only he has the ability to fund solutions, and to stop the ongoing increase (by increasing shelter allowances). www.newhamburgindependent.ca/opinion/colu...

Growing concern for elder homeless men in Toronto | Watch News Videos Online Watch Growing concern for elder homeless men in Toronto Video Online, on GlobalNews.ca

"Growing concern for elderly homeless men in Toronto" Ontario's first social programs were for our elderly. As rents have increased over 100% over the past decade CPP/OAS/GIS has only increased by 26%. Seniors are now the biggest demographic entering shelters. globalnews.ca/video/109000...

Halifax council defeats mayor's ask to cut list of possible homeless sites

Councillors say move would be premature and 'meaningless' www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Lifestyle Nov/Dec 2024 Digital Issue

Great story on tiny home village being built in St. Thomas. Smart Ontario municipalities are piloting the solutions to homelessness. The Premier needs to support them with operating funding. issuu.com/lifestylemag...

Innisfil developer 'didn't have a choice' in removing unsheltered woman from property 'Her belongings were removed by family members and she left the property with her family,' police said of one-person Innisfil Beach Road encampment

Benevolent landowner coerced by NIMBY into removing homeless woman. Neighbours "argued she should have been forced to accept help sooner due to the cold weather." Do we in Canada force fellow Canadians to accept help? innisfiltoday.ca/local-news/i...