Ontario anti-encampment law punishes the homeless, avoids long-term solutions: critics
A new provincial law that aims to clear encampments from public spaces does not address the root causes behind homelessness and punishes people who have no access to affordable shelter, critics say.
The Safer Municipalities Act, which passed last Tuesday in the Ontario legislature, gives municipalities and police "enhanced tools they need to end encampments and clean up our parks and public spaces," according to a provincial news release from April.
But the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), which represents all 444 municipalities in the province, says the law does not provide longer-term, permanent solutions for homelessness — an issue municipalities across the province have described as a top concern in recent years.
"It doesn't really focus at all on the root causes of homelessness ... the lack of deeply affordable housing, the lack of mental health and addictions services at the levels that we need them, as well as some of these basic issues around income support," said Lindsay Jones, the AMO's director of policy and government relations.
Under the legislation, the province will spend $50 million to help create 1,239 additional housing units, and $20 million to create 971 additional shelter and temporary accommodation spaces.
It will also put $5.5 million toward the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit to "immediately free-up emergency shelter spaces for people living in encampments" by helping around 1,000 people living in shelters move into longer-term housing, the news release said.
WATCH | Ford first introduced the legislation in December:
While Jones called the spending encouraging, she said its "a drop in the bucket" compared to the nearly $2 billion the AMO estimates is needed to end encampments in Ontario.
More than 80,000 people in Ontario were homeless last year, according to an AMO report. The association previously found there were about 1,400 encampments across the province in 2023.
CBC Toronto has reached out to the province for comment.
Jones said the Safer Municipalities Act is particularly focused on enforcement. The law strengthens penalties for people who "deliberately and continually break the law by adding the new aggravating factors of continuous trespassing and the likelihood to reoffend," the provincial news release said.
People convicted of a trespass offence may face a fine of up to $10,000, according to the bill.
The legislation also allows police officers to issue a ticket or arrest people who do not comply with an order to stop using illegal substances in public and to leave the public place.
People found guilty of violating the legislation may face fines of up to $10,000 or up to six months in prison. The province will explore "judicial approaches" that provide rehabilitation as an alternative to jail time for minor or non-violent drug crimes, the provincial news release said.
When Ontario Premier Doug Ford first introduced the Safer Municipalities Act in December, he said encampments "are taking over public spaces, with illegal drug use happening out in the open, creating huge safety risks for people and communities."
"Enough is enough, this has to stop and it will stop," Ford added.
But Diane Chan McNally, a community worker in Toronto who works with people who live in encampments, says the Safer Municipalities Act is punishing those who have no access to affordable housing.
"We're misdiagnosing the actual problem. We're suggesting that the issue is people using drugs in public when the issue is actually that people have nowhere affordable for them to live," she said.
McNally said there is a stereotype that people who live in encampments are heavy drug users involved in criminal activity. The reality is that "every kind of person" lives in encampments because they cannot afford housing, she said.
The people she has worked with include an 84-year-old woman who started living in an encampment after her spouse died and she could no longer afford housing.
WATCH | Ford has said he is prepared to use notwithstanding clause to clear encampments:
Many people who live in encampments are concerned they will be targeted under the new legislation regardless of whether they use drugs or not, McNally said.
Catherine McKenney, NDP MPP for Ottawa Centre, said the legislation could also fuel a cycle where people who have been imprisoned will struggle to get housing once they're released because they have a criminal record, McKenney said.
"Prison beds are not housing," McKenney said.
The legislation may also infringe on the rights of people who are trying to seek shelter, said Harini Sivalingam, director of the equality program at Canadian Civil Liberties Association.
In Ontario, there is strong case law — meaning law based on previous judicial decisions — that establishes people have a right to seek shelter when there are no available shelter options for them overnight, she said.
"'The government can't deprive them of that right by evicting them overnight when they have nowhere else they can go for safety and security," Sivalingam said.
Last year, before the act was introduced, Ford pledged to use the notwithstanding clause that would override the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms if the courts were to "interfere" with the legislation. He made the pledge in a letter to 12 mayors who asked him to use the clause to clear encampments.
In April's provincial news release, 16 mayors across the province indicated their support for the Safer Municipalities Act.
Community groups and advocates in the province are exploring legal avenues to stop the enforcement of the Safer Municipalities Act, Sivalingam said.
"The government is trying to seek shortcuts that will impact important rights and freedoms," she said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Trump considers extending TikTok deadline. Is third time a charm?
Will the third time be the charm for TikTok's future? With another extension deadline in two weeks, the social media platform's future lies in the hands of President Donald Trump. In January, TikTok went dark for 12 hours in the United States when China-based ByteDance failed to divest the app's U.S. assets, as required by law. Since coming into office on Jan. 20, Trump issued two executive orders to extend the ban's deadline, hoping to acquire the short-form video app used by 170 million Americans. But so far, a deal has yet to be struck. The next deadline is June 19. A plan had been in the works that would spin off TikTok's American operation into a new firm owned and operated by U.S. investors, but was put on hold, according to Reuters, after China would not approve it following Trump's announcements of steep tariffs on its goods. During an NBC News interview in May, Trump said he would extend the deadline a third time if a deal isn't made by the June 19 deadline. 'I'd like to see it done,' Trump said during the interview. The president added that he has a 'little sweet spot' in his heart for TikTok, which he claims helped him win votes during the 2024 presidential election. 'It'll be protected. It'll be very strongly protected. But if it needs an extension, I would be willing to give it an extension.' The White House declined to comment about a potential TikTok sale. It is unclear. If ByteDance does not divest TikTok by Thursday, June 19, the platform could be banned in the United States again. However, Trump has said that if the sale isn't finalized in time, he will extend the deadline again. This, too, is unclear. Under federal legislation that put the TikTok ban in place, the president can implement a 90-day extension on the deadline to sell. But Trump didn't take this route in January or April. Instead, he signed executive orders delaying the ban by 75 days. If Trump wishes to sign another executive order ahead of the June 19 deadline, he can. While it's within Trump's discretion to sign executive orders to delay the ban, there may be a time when Congress sees it fit to pass a law ordering a firm deadline, John Acevedo, Emory University School of Law professor, told Spectrum News in April. But just because the executive orders are within Trump's authority doesn't mean everyone is happy with his decisions. 'The deadline for Trump to follow the law passed 135 days ago. It is shocking that a bipartisan-backed law, signed by the former president and upheld by the Supreme Court, is being treated like a mere suggestion by the White House,' said Stephen Kent, Consumer Choice Center media director, in a news release. Former President Joe Biden signed federal legislation in 2024 that gave ByteDance until Jan. 19, 2025 to divest TikTok or face a ban in the U.S. Some politicians see TikTok as a national security threat, expressing concern that ByteDance may be sharing U.S. user data with the Chinese government. ByteDance has denied these claims, which remain unsubstantiated. However, ByteDance did not divest in time. In January, TikTok went dark for a little more than 12 hours in the U.S. after the app was effectively banned. U.S. internet hosting services made TikTok unavailable to access, and app stores removed the app for download. During the short-lived shutdown, Trump promised internet hosting services and app stores that they could restore TikTok and not face legal penalties. Under the federal legislation, companies could be fined $5,000 per user they help access TikTok. For companies like Google and Apple, this could mean a $5,000 fine for each user who downloads or updates TikTok. Internet hosting services like Oracle didn't waste time rebooting the app, but it wasn't until Feb. 13 that TikTok became available again in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump to decide Tiktok's fate no later than June 19
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
‘It was scary': Residents near Portland ICE building frustrated with recent protests
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Across the street from the Portland ICE building is Gray's Landing, an affordable housing development in the south waterfront community with mostly seniors and veteran residents. Many say while they support peaceful protests against ICE, they are frustrated with the damage to their neighborhood. 'The weekend protests were very peaceful. It is fabulous. But when it gets out of hand, people cause damage to other people and property. It's just so counterproductive,' said one neighbor who wanted to be anonymous. Teague Stapleton lives in Gray's Landing. He said he sympathizes with what the protesters are doing. But said the weekend protest was frightening. 'It was scary,' said Stapleton. 'When they first started the protest, I was confused because I didn't know where the flash bangs were coming from. The police or from the protesters.' People living in nearby apartments say they are still feeling in impacts of Saturday night's tear gas. 'It's been in our apartment or been in my apartment a lot…I can't open my windows because there's constant updrafts,' said Chandler Baduy who lives in a different building down the street. Several businesses say they lost business and are now dealing with physical damages to their buildings. 'There's an attitude called don't police or other people's actions and I can support that,' said Baduy. 'I would rather if we didn't need to do that. I personally think it's bad strategy, right?' KOIN 6 spoke with several protesters who have been out here throughout the weekend about how they feel about what the neighbors are saying. 'I understand about the graffiti on the independent buildings and the residential buildings however I am not upset about this building at all, whatsoever. If there is graffiti on this building, it's well deserved,' said one protester who chose not to be named. 'I understand it can be. And convenience, and I'm sure that is frustrating, but imagine the inconvenience of losing your father,' said Rocio Leon, another protester. To recap, after the Saturday , which drew tens of thousands of people, protests at the ICE building grew. On Saturday night, ICE agents used tear gas, rubber bullets, pepper balls and paint guns in an attempt to subdue the crowd. Protesters broke the doors of the ICE building, spray painted the building and buildings around it and threw water bottles and other objects back at the ICE building. The protest was later Andrew Joliet lives a few blocks away from the ICE building. He is frustrated that Mayor Wilson and the DA's office aren't being tougher on the protesters. 'One of the reasons why I think Nathan Vasquez got in was people were hoping that someone would come in who would be tougher on crime and actually prosecute people who are breaking the law. Which to me isn't a crazy idea. Like if someone breaks the law, they need to be prosecuted. So that they don't do it again,' Joliet said. KOIN reached out to the DA's office. In a statement, Vazquez said, 'We can only prosecute the cases that are given to us. So far we have charged 19 of the 20 cases police have brought to us.' 'Keith Wilson should come down to South Waterfront and see what these people are doing, because what's been going on for the last week is not peaceful. These people are literally destroying a federal building,' said Joliet. Mayor Wilson's office released a statement saying in part, 'Mayor Wilson continues to actively monitor ongoing events and coordinate with public safety officials.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Bongino announces FBI apprehended 449 child predators, rescued 224 kids in first 3 months as deputy director
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino announced on Saturday that during his and Director Kash Patel's first three months in office, the agency conducted large-scale sex predator operations, made multiple foreign intelligence and FBI "most wanted" arrests, and aided partners in immigration enforcement. In an X post, Bongino said two child sex predator stings resulted in the rescues of hundreds of children. Operation "Restoring Justice" apprehended 205 child sex predators and 764 purveyors, while rescuing 115 children, he said. A separate venture, Operation "Soteria Shield," resulted in the apprehension of 244 child predators, and 109 children were rescued. "This is just the beginning," Bongino wrote in the post. "If you're preying on children, we are coming for you." Patel's Immigration Push At Fbi Yields 10,000 Arrests Since January He added the FBI was making process on a number of high-profile cases, including the COVID-19 cover-up, the Dobbs leak, and the DNC pipe bomb investigation, and located and apprehended three of the FBI's top ten "most wanted." Read On The Fox News App Bongino said "multiple" foreign intelligence targets engaged in illegal activities were also arrested. Amid the accomplishments, he said numerous personnel changes were made to the leadership of the FBI and the agency reorganized its structure to ensure the mistakes of the past are corrected, penalized and not repeated. Fbi's Top Boss Kash Patel Says Bureau Ran Cover For Hillary But It All Ends Under Trump "We are remaining hyper-vigilant in protecting the Homeland given the current global climate, while we deal with investigations related to the rioting, the Washington DC murders, the Palm Springs bombing, the Boulder attack, the Minnesota murders, and our daily case work," according to Bongino. The FBI also apprehended, imprisoned, and deported thousands of illegal immigrants in coordination with federal partners. More than 700 anti-ICE riot arrests were made in coordination with state and federal agents, as the FBI poured through data in pursuit of more bad actors. Fbi Deputy Director Bongino: Illegal Alien Criminals And Child Predators Are Next In Ongoing Crackdown "We are not done," Bongino said. "We are in the process of identifying and moving in on those who threw rocks at law enforcement officers and damaged property. I told you we would not forget. I wasn't kidding. . . . We told you that the rioting was not going to slow us down. It has not. We are fully engaged." Though the FBI acknowledges there is more work to be done, he said to stay tuned on disclosures and the public corruption fronts. "For those who have been patient with us, thank you," Bongino said. "For those who are out of patience, thank you, too. Believe me, we understand. God bless America, and all those who defend Her."Original article source: Bongino announces FBI apprehended 449 child predators, rescued 224 kids in first 3 months as deputy director
