2015: The End of Homelessness in Toronto

Last year's Sleep-Out at City Hall

About 200 people attended the Sleep-Out in Solidarity on November 19, 2005, calling upon City Hall to End Homelessness. There was music, speeches and an open mic, a very loud and long "Minute of Noise" and a vigil to mark the number of homeless deaths since the most recent Council was elected. Thanks to everyone – it was a great night! Special thanks to performers Maria Kaastan, the Toronto Sympathy Orchestra and "the Musicians Around the Corner", and to Street Connection, the Afghan Women's Catering Group, FoodShare/Field to Table, Food Not Bombs, the New Moon Kitchen, Starbucks (Queen and John and Richmond) and Kelly for providing food and coffee.

Campaign News On Sept 15, 2005 we delivered a letter to Mayor Miller asking for a meeting to present him with over 2200 signatures from our End Homelessness petition. We have had no response to this request.

We also gave a deputation to the Community Services Committee, asking that a clear plan to End Homelessness by 2015 be made by City Council. On Sept 28, Council passed a resolution saying they agree with ending homelessness, but made no commitment to implementing a multi-year blueprint with specific housing milestones and targets, and with a clear end date. Without such a plan, this resolution will simply be more words, floating and filling up Council chambers, while the homeless continue to crowd into shelters, and worse.

Background Humanize Toronto is calling upon the City of Toronto to declare an End to Homelessness by 2015. This would involve a multi-year plan with clear milestones and goals to help people on the brink of homelessness, provide housing support, and build new and truly affordable housing.

Such a declaration would also mount pressure on upper levels of government to recognize their responsibility in this crisis. The city of Red Deer in Alberta made a declaration like this in March 2005. So should we. Because if we don't begin to plan to end homelessness, homessleness will not end.