How can cities address the challenge of encampments?

Full Panel
Transcript

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Full Audience
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From Canadian Urban Institute: You can find transcripts and recordings of today’s and all our webinars at https://canurb.org/citytalk

13:01:36 From Abby Slater (she/her) : Hello from Tkaronto!
13:01:43 From Canadian Urban Institute : Welcome! Folks, please change your chat settings to “all panelists and attendees” so everyone can see your comments.
13:02:01 From Rowena Locklin : Good morning from Victoria
13:02:35 From Nurul Amin : Morning from Edmonton
13:02:42 From Canadian Urban Institute : CUI extends a big thank you to our partner for today’s session, the Shift. Learn more about their work here: https://www.make-the-shift.org/
13:03:27 From Neil Chadda : Good afternoon from City of Brampton
13:03:34 From Alan Kan : Hi from Mississauga
13:03:57 From Mayor Lisa Helps to All panelists : Good morning all. From Lekwungen territory in Victoria BC.
13:04:04 From Liz Loney to All panelists : Hello from Milton Ontario
13:04:11 From Nadia Zelisko to All panelists : Hello from Hamilton
13:04:11 From Susan Martin : Hello from Victoria (the territory of the Lekwungen speaking people now known as the Esquimalt and Songhees First Nations).
13:04:15 From Silvia Moscariello : Hi from New Haven, CT, USA
13:04:18 From Michael Del Giudice to All panelists : Miami, FL
13:04:19 From Brenda Jeffs to All panelists : Hello from Oshawa, Ontario (1 hour east of Toronto)
13:04:20 From Jeremy Heighton to All panelists : Hello from Kamloops, British Columbia
13:04:20 From Robert Plitt : Good Morning from Mokinstsis – (Calgary)
13:04:27 From Marjorie Knight : Hello from Cambridge, Ontario
13:04:30 From Maude-Amélie Verville : Hi From Montreal
13:04:32 From Anthony Dolcetti to All panelists : Good afternoon from the City of Brantford
13:04:32 From Kathleen Llewellyn-Thomas to All panelists : Hello from Toronto – here on behalf of myself and the Toronto Transit Commission.
13:04:34 From Gary Waterfield : Greetings from Perth Ontario!
13:04:35 From Tim Rissesco to All panelists : Tim Rissesco, Dartmouth Nova Scotia
13:04:36 From Lais Fabricio : Hello from Toronto!
13:04:41 From Donald Young to All panelists : Toronto
13:04:41 From Morgan Dundas to All panelists : Hi from Toronto
13:04:43 From Kathy McLaughlin to All panelists : Hello from London ON
13:04:43 From Aaron Bowerman to All panelists : Toronto Ontario
13:04:45 From Wendy Hembruff : Hello from the County of Simcoe – Midhurst Ontario.
13:04:47 From Lynn Hannley to All panelists : Lynn Hannley The Communitas Group Edmonton Alberta
13:04:48 From Daryl Kaytor : hi from Halton Region!
13:04:48 From Hannah Brais : Hi from Tio’tia:ke (Montreal)
13:04:56 From Gagan Batra : Hello from Brantford, Ontario!
13:04:58 From Lorne Cappe : Hello from Toronto
13:04:58 From Katie Fillion : Goon morning from North Park, Victoria, home of the Lekwungen people.
13:04:58 From Jeremy Heighton to All panelists : Hello from Kamloops
13:05:00 From Daphna Nussbaum : Toronto
13:05:01 From Ryan May : Hearty hello from Edmonton!
13:05:01 From Travis Van Wyck : Hello from Tkaranto (Toronto)
13:05:09 From Michelle Carter to All panelists : Hello from rural Ontario. Greetings from Huron and Perth counties
13:05:12 From Jeff Willmer to All panelists : Hello from Kitchener-Waterloo Ontario
13:05:17 From Leilani Farha : Hi Everyone – I won’t have time to give my land acknowledgement, but i am on Anishnaabe territory on the banks of the Kitchissippi river in the city of ottawa.
13:05:18 From Heather Murphy to All panelists : Heather Murphy stolen land from Songhees Nation
13:05:18 From Trina MacDonald to All panelists : Hello from Fredericton New Brunswick
13:05:19 From Jayne Hartley : Hi from Halton
13:05:28 From Christina McGugan : Windsor Ontario here!
13:05:29 From Kira Heineck : Patricia Mueller Homes First Toronto
13:05:37 From Tina Conlon to All panelists : Greetings from Treaty 13
13:05:39 From Jeff Willmer : Hello from Kitchener-Waterloo Ontario
13:05:39 From Canadian Urban Institute : Connect with our panel: Leilani Farha, Global Director, The Shift @leilanifarha https://www.linkedin.com/in/leilani-farha-6664698a/ Mayor Lisa Helps, City of Victoria https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-helps-327a4a30/ Dr. Andrew Boozary, Executive Director, Health and Social Policy, University Health Network https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-boozary-3700ab91/ @drandrewb Juha Kaakinen, Chief Executive Officer, Y-Foundation, Finland @JKaakinen https://www.linkedin.com/in/juha-kaakinen-14368417/ Donnie Rosa, General Manager, Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation @dlr9 https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnie-rosa-b0068316/ Tina Dawson, Advocate for the Unhoused with Living Experience of Homelessness/Former Liaison Manager at a Community Run Encampment Jennifer Jewell, Toronto, ON @wyld_wych
13:05:43 From Tom Wallace : Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service
13:06:10 From Bernie Pauly to All panelists : Good morning. I am an uninvited settler on the traditional territory of the Lekwungen people
Aka known as victoria
13:06:32 From Kelly Goz : hello from Windsor Essex
13:06:36 From Kirsten Jasper : Greetings from Vancouver, ancestral and unceded territories if the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples
13:06:38 From Erin Dej : Hi from Cambridge, ON
13:06:50 From Kira Heineck : Good afternoon everyone! Glad to be here, repping the Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness – taeh.ca.
13:06:56 From Silvia Moscariello : Can you speak closer to the mike?
13:07:11 From Audrina_MTA to All panelists : Hello from Calgary AB.
13:07:15 From Puneeta McBryan : Hello from Downtown Edmonton / Amiskwaciwâskahikan / ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ, Treaty 6 Territory!
13:07:30 From Kira Heineck : Hello all – Keith Hambly from Fred Victor in Toronto
13:07:36 From Susan Martin : Will a recording of this webinar be made available to registrants?
13:10:10 From Canadian Urban Institute : Hi Susan, resources from today’s session will be made available at www.citytalkcanada.ca
13:10:25 From Mark Fox to All panelists : Hello – Mark Fox, UofToronto Centre for Social Services Engineering
13:10:30 From Tommy Taylor : Good afternoon, thanks for putting this together and to the great panelists. – Tommy Taylor, Toronto Drop-In Network.
13:10:36 From Kirsten Goa : Hi everyone, Kirsten Goa also from Edmonton, Amiskwaciwâskahikan / ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ, Treaty 6 Territory! Living in ward papastew.
13:11:41 From Susan Martin : The ‘homeless industrial complex’ 🙁
13:12:14 From Jeff Willmer : “ A Better Tent City” in Kitchener ON is a community initiative that provides each resident with an 8×10’ cabin (with insulation and a radiator). This provides a safe place to sleep and to store one’s belongings.
13:12:52 From Heather Murphy to All panelists : Tina makes a great point about the ability to self-organize. “The governmental and legal systems actively work against this self-organization.
13:13:03 From Kirsten Jasper : @Jeff Willmer, do you have any background info on this project you can share?
13:14:15 From Delaney McCartan : Here’s some info I found on “A Better Tent City” https://civichubwr.org/a-better-tent-city/
13:16:28 From Silvia Moscariello : WHOA!
13:17:48 From Emily Luba : Here with folks sheltering at CRAB park on Squamish, Musqueam, Tseil-watuth territories where a general order from general manager of park was passed banning ppl from being here
13:18:04 From Isabella Gamk : According to ISAC, Income Security Advocacy Center, only 7% of OW clients and 12% of ODSP clients actually live in subsidized housing. Please stop this game and advocate for enough money for ODSP and OW clients can rent a place of their own. Turn Shelters into Supportive Housing.
13:18:25 From Marjorie Knight : We talk about out of sight, out of mind, a lot of it has to do with the perception and treatment of homeless persons.
13:18:26 From Susan Martin : Yeah Nicole! A fantastic report!
13:18:55 From Emily Luba : See you’re also on here Donnie Rosa – am with Drew & we are wondering if this is the best way to get in touch with you about the concerning situaion here
13:19:22 From Kathleen Llewellyn-Thomas : Hello from Toronto – here on behalf of myself and the Toronto Transit Commission.
13:19:26 From Isabella Gamk : Many homeless were kicked out of Subsidized Housing and will never get back in. You can’t expect them to live out their lives in shelters for making a mistake that saw them evicted!
13:20:23 From Kirsten Jasper : Municipal govs have nowhere near the resources to provide the kind of housing that’s needed on an ongoing basis and housing still does not address all root causes of homelessness
13:20:43 From Isabella Gamk : We don’t need more Shelters. Putting people up in Shelters or Hotels and Motels is not Housing them!
13:20:43 From Emily Luba : My messages are from CRAB Town (CRAB Park sheltering folks)! Donnie, can you answer us here?
13:20:46 From Susan Low to All panelists : I think the views of the “general public” (aka the housed public) have a lot of influence on local governments because they show up at Council meetings to oppose supportive and social housing projects.
13:20:52 From Donnie Rosa they/she : Emily, i can be contacted via email….my folks are at the park daily – i’ve been there too and available to connect
13:20:53 From Kirsten Jasper : we also have a lot of housing stock that people don’t want to live in (SROs) and we need provincial support to improve those conditions so that they are viable options for folks
13:20:55 From Abby Slater (she/her) : I am sure many saw this article. I wonder what Mayor Helps says about this…it affirms and confirms the need for peer to peer and other interventions as part of the solution. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-trinity-bellwoods-crackdown-was-not-surprising-but-there-is-a/
13:21:16 From Tecla Van Bussel : Knowing what has happened in Toronto and Vancouver … Can the panelists speak about the reasoning of committing to “zero encampments” as a pathway to addressing homelessness? And how the police and park enforcement are used in this?
13:21:28 From Adam Reid to All panelists : “Our Provincial Government is Awesome”… -_-
13:22:23 From Isabella Gamk : Please look up POOF Protecting ODSP OW Funding or me, Isabella Gamk for the truth about Homelessness. We have 3 Facebook pages and one is a group page you can join.
13:23:22 From Emily Luba : Thank you for this Donnie! Can we have a meeting with you 6pm this Thursday in the park?
13:23:34 From Donnie Rosa they/she to Emily Luba and all panelists : is there a number i can reach you at? i have asked Uutlje to connect with you to arrange
13:24:16 From Donnie Rosa they/she : Emily i sent you a message asking for a contact number…and i asked my team to reach out to set something up…
13:24:23 From Isabella Gamk : We are doing a street blocking Empathy and Compassion for Disabled and Poor rally at Yonge St and Dundas St in downtown Toronto on August 21st 2021 from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm. Please come.
13:24:43 From Jen Evans to All panelists : hi everyone, jen evans here from toronto.
13:26:04 From Cole Gately to All panelists : Cole from Hamilton, ON here. How do we compel City Council and the to come up with permanent housing solutions instead of chasing people from park to park?
13:27:25 From Emily Luba : Much appreciation Donnie! Thanks for this offer! I can be reached at 604 715 5488
13:27:48 From Mayor Lisa Helps to All panelists : Here is the link to the Chaland report https://pub-victoria.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=69943 The Beginning of the End of Homelessness in the CRD. It features the lived experiences of people and makes recommendations about how to move the system to person-centred.
13:28:19 From Isabella Gamk : Housing is another form of jail when you can not get a transfer and your only choice to get away from bad neighbors is to move out into the street or go to a Shelter. TCH now has ads to rent units to the public at average market or RGI instead of clearing waitlists. When I give up my unit in TCH in a few months due to the sleep deprivation torture for the last 4 yrs TCH will probably jack up the rent for the next tenant. I will be homeless in a few months because I can’t afford to rent anywhere else once I move out of TCH.
13:28:20 From Tecla Van Bussel : Thank you Tina and Jennifer for being here and speaking truth to the political discourse around camp communities 💚
13:28:32 From Mayor Lisa Helps to All panelists : The report addresses some of the things that Jennifer is talking about.
13:29:19 From Abby Slater (she/her) : Safer even in the middle of winter? It is such a terrible choice you have made…or rather you are unable to make.
13:30:09 From Canadian Urban Institute to Mayor Lisa Helps(Direct Message) : Hi Mayor helps. Can you please change your settings to all panelists and attendees and reshare the report and note? It only went to our panelists. Thanks!
13:30:24 From Emily Luba : Donnie, Drew says you know his address and looks forward to connecting
13:30:46 From Isabella Gamk : We never hear the actual number amounts people on disability or social services benefits receive on the news. This is so the public aren’t shocked.
13:30:52 From Mayor Lisa Helps : Here is the link to the Chaland report https://pub-victoria.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=69943 The Beginning of the End of Homelessness in the CRD. It features the lived experiences of people and makes recommendations about how to move the system to person-centred.
13:31:41 From Mayor Lisa Helps : The report addresses some of the things that Jennifer talked about.
13:31:46 From Ryan May : People deciding to stay in an encampment through the winter rather than enter a shelter with available space is a bitter indictment of the state of shelters, and their ability to address critical needs of the unsheltered.
13:32:59 From Isabella Gamk : If average market rent were guaranteed constitutionally builders would build average market rent rental apartment buildings.
If average market rent were guaranteed constitutionally the government would raise the minimum wage so that they didn’t have to issue rent subsidy cheques.
13:33:02 From Abby Slater (she/her) : @RyanMay totally agree
13:33:56 From Jesse Allan to All panelists : Absolutely even in the winter, Abby. Our communities and ad-hoc solutions that we have built, we didn’t do so because we wanted to, but because living within a communal setting while having space to retreat to is the safest way to survive homelessness.
13:34:32 From Canadian Urban Institute : Reminding attendees to please change your chat settings to “all panelists and attendees” so everyone can see your comments.
13:35:30 From Jesse Allan : Absolutely even in the winter, Abby. Our communities and ad-hoc solutions that we have built, we didn’t do so because we wanted to, but because living within a communal setting while having space to retreat to is the safest way to survive homelessness.
13:35:39 From Jesse Allan : Thanks for that reminder.
13:35:54 From Danielle Astrug : ..I remember for the big push for the “Right to Sleep” campaign from some years ago in BC..
13:36:43 From Noah Gotfrit to All panelists : My name is Athena Pranteau I am homeless with my kids since October 5, 2020 my question is to address the HUGE conflict of interest that CRAB PARK and the Vancouver parks and recreation board General Manager, deputy General Manager and Chair of the Vancouver parks and recreation lease the city parks from ie the Fraser Port Authority and wonder who they leased Strathcona park from and why are their job titles are about as fake as the superintendent park rangers of the Vancouver board of parks and recreation Uultsje Dejong’s linked in posted resume. So who is accountable? Where is MLA Melanie Mark? AND where is MP Jenny Qwan?
13:36:50 From Isabella Gamk : The minimum wage should be 10-15% above the povertyline and not slightly under it as it is now. Disability benefits should be 5-10% above the povertyline and social services could be 0-5 % above the povertyline and not 300% below it. When a whole OW cheque for a single person is only $733.00, $390.00 for Shelter and $343.00 for Basic Needs and a room is $800.00 this is why you have Homelessness.
13:37:28 From Donnie Rosa they/she to All panelists : please note that Athena – above comment, has housing
13:37:47 From Isabella Gamk : Why is no one talking about the CASH SHORTAGE?!
13:38:08 From Silvia Moscariello : or DEEPLY affordable housing.
13:38:09 From Marjorie Knight : Absolutely correct Isabella, I was working full time when I was living in a shelter, because even working 40 hrs a week, I could not afford rent
13:38:39 From Adam Reid : Isabella 100%, the cruelty and injustice of the wage theft that’s happened the last 50 years is appalling, and needs to be addressed.
13:38:54 From Isabella Gamk : just because there is homelessness in California and other places it doesn’t make it acceptable. that is a cop out!
13:39:03 From Mayor Lisa Helps : Wages need to be adjusted to meet housing costs.
13:39:05 From Ada Maciejewski to All panelists : There seems to be a clear path to resolving homelessness, including examples mentioned in Finland. Why do we continue to experience barriers to solutions in Canada?
13:39:13 From Kaitlin Schwan to All panelists : For an explanation of human rights and encampments in Canada, you can find the National Protocol for Homeless Encampments here: https://www.make-the-shift.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/A-National-Protocol-for-Homeless-Encampments-in-Canada.pdf
13:40:06 From Susan Low : I feel like we need to engage the housed public and consider how their opposition to change affects our communities.
13:40:16 From Mayor Lisa Helps : These are all great questions and comments. We will likely have a federal election VERY soon. We can make housing and housing costs THE election issue.
13:41:03 From Susan Low : The housed public opposes supportive and social housing being built in their neighborhoods. The housed public says “we don’t want to see people in distress because it makes us uncomfortable.” The housed public drives land use decisions and excludes unhoused people from being allowed to take space.
13:41:12 From Kirsten Jasper : we have some good opportunities with fed/prov/local gov alignment to keep moving resources and trying something new, that also aligns with some of our expressed core values around equity and reconciliation
13:41:17 From Susan Martin : If you are in Canada check out the ‘Vote Housing’ campaign https://www.votehousing.ca/
13:41:30 From Jesse Allan : Toronto and Ontario with elections in the next 15 months as well. June 2022 for the province, Oct ’22 for the City.
13:41:34 From Canadian Urban Institute to Kaitlin Schwan and all panelists : Hi Kaitlin. This only went to panelists. Can you please change your settings to “all panelists and attendees” and reshare? Thanks
13:41:45 From Isabella Gamk : According to Mayor John Tory at Housing meetings in Toronto, that I have attended, ” Affordable Housing” is 80-90% the average rent of a condo. This makes “Affordable Housing” totally unaffordable for ODSP ot OW clients.
13:42:18 From Kellen Jackson : yes to water and sanitation!!! accessible bathrooms and water hookup!!!
13:42:31 From Danielle Astrug : Can someone put up that link that Leilani was referring to? (Paper that was authored with Dr. Schwanna)
13:42:32 From Mayor Lisa Helps : More money but also we need to be held accountable.
13:42:37 From Emily Luba : Thank you for the shout out Donnie! We look forward to a follow-up meeting & continue to wait patiently for concrete action so ppl here can get back to work & other matters – Emily & Drew
13:42:45 From Susan Martin : @Susan Low – not disputing this from a perception point of view but is it actually true – what percentage of people actually DO oppose or do we just hear from the vocal minority and how can we combat NIMBYism?
13:42:55 From Kirsten Jasper : we need partnerships with provincial and fed govs (agree with Mayor Helps)
13:43:13 From Leilani Farha : Agree with Lisa above … its not just resources its accountability and its different relationships.
13:43:29 From Kirsten Jasper : PEERS ARE A HUGE RESOURCE and are a pathway to employment!
13:43:59 From Marjorie Knight : but we are not building houses! its all luxury condos and 700,000 homes…
13:44:05 From Isabella Gamk : The province needs to step up and municipalities need to fight back enmasse!
13:44:19 From Kellen Jackson : +++^
13:44:28 From Canadian Urban Institute to Isabella Gamk and all panelists : Hi Isabella. We noticed you raised your hand. Please drop any questions or comments in the chat and we will try to bring it into the conversation. Thanks
13:44:40 From Cole Gately : Please share the report Leilani mentioned
13:44:41 From Abby Slater (she/her) : For sure the longer term solutions should be started…but what is the short term solution in parks where police disperse those in the encampments…Where are those people supposed to go?
13:44:47 From Donnie Rosa they/she : peers played a huge role at Strathcona…very important in creating community beyond encampments
13:45:12 From Abby Slater (she/her) : We know in Toronto we don’t have enough shelters/affordable housing/SRO’s whatever…
13:45:14 From Ryan May : If housing were made into a guaranteed right within Canada, our governments would be obligated to institute changes to make it accessible to all. The problem requires funding, but also structural change; housing shouldn’t be bought and sold as a commodity while people in need go without.
13:45:16 From Erika Morton : @Danielle https://www.make-the-shift.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/A-National-Protocol-for-Homeless-Encampments-in-Canada.pdf
13:45:25 From Mayor Lisa Helps : The size / scale of Victoria does lend itself to organizing everyone pretty easily. Relationships are everything.
13:45:38 From Danielle Astrug : @Erika, thank you!!
13:45:52 From Abby Slater (she/her) : Hear hear Dr.
13:46:11 From Cole Gately : Thank you, Rikki! 🙂
13:46:37 From Susan Martin : To Dr. Boozary’s point – what do people NOT get about the economic argument? Research has demonstrated over and over that money spent on housing is such a good deal economically?
13:47:04 From Jesse Allan : YES! Exactly right, Ryan. Turning housing into a commodity is at least a large portion of what got us into this mess.
13:47:17 From Mayor Lisa Helps : @AbbySlater, in Victoria we followed the public health advice to not clear encampments until there were safe, including COVID safe indoor spaces. We listened to that advice and worked with the province to create those new spaces as a pathway to permanent housing.
13:49:01 From Mayor Lisa Helps : Not saying it was perfect, so we commissioned this report to know how to move forward better. https://pub-victoria.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=69943
13:49:06 From Marjorie Knight : I keep saying that homelessness is the ultimate gateway drug…. the level of stress being homeless is immense, how do you be safe, and look after yourself when you cannot find a decent and safe place to lay your head at night??
13:49:20 From Abby Slater (she/her) : Kudos to @Mayor Helps…can you convince our municipal leaders? It seems a crazy response. Does Section 8 housing vouchers (as in the US) provide any kind of solution? Although from what is being said it is probably no better a solution.
13:49:20 From Isabella Gamk : Our Dr deduced from out health issues that we are Disabled and submitted a request to ODSP to accept us as clients. ODSP has a panel of Drs who reviewed our Drs findings, and AGREED with our Dr, accepted us into the ODSP program as Disabled clients.
13:49:33 From Jeannette Wright : one of the concerning issues is that people living unsheltered are often at risk of being taking advantage, assaulted, and worse when in encampments- by others who are in the same situation. Most have had peer supports who were not able to deal with the seriousness of the offenses as well as “gang affiliations” and the number of overdoses. how can municipalities help
13:49:39 From Leilani Farha : There is no doubt that the social assistance systems across the country needs significant reform and certainly more resources. there isn’t a province where social assistance rates are at the poverty level. Most are 50% below any measure of poverty in the country. But even with higher social assistance rates — available housing is unaffordable across the country … and so ….
13:49:45 From Donnie Rosa they/she : In Vancouver we partnered with Vancouver Coastal Health to ensure we were aware and acting in accordance with the Health Dept
13:49:46 From Kellen Jackson to All panelists : Can the city folks on this panel address the cost of police enforcement and fencing rentals and how that might be moved into funding peer-led initiatives?
13:50:19 From Tecla Van Bussel : Also on the economic point – imagine if cities could shift the ratio of $ spent on policing to $ spent on housing with dignity and care.
13:50:30 From Susan Martin : ^++
13:50:40 From Isabella Gamk : Can we get the description for ODSP of “Assistance” changed since many ODSP clients DO NOT have another source of Income?
13:51:06 From Donnie Rosa they/she to Emily Luba and all panelists : we are meeting with Will tomorrow morning…can you join?
13:51:13 From Donnie Rosa they/she to Emily Luba and all panelists : at Beach Ave
13:51:15 From Kellen Jackson : city folks on this panel — how can you commit to consensual relations with unhoused people?
13:51:29 From Isabella Gamk : By calling it Assistance it tells the public that we do have another source of income.
13:52:13 From Mayor Lisa Helps : @KellenJackson we are working on an alternative, peer response that can attend as needed instead of police.
13:52:21 From susanne goshko : Are you working with urban planners who are familiar with social determinants of health? They can assess housing using these parameters to determine if housing is healthy or not.
13:52:25 From Isabella Gamk : Too bad I am not allowed to speak. Unfortunately there is nothing new with this.
13:52:28 From Donnie Rosa they/she to Emily Luba and all panelists : or we can come to the park later this week..
13:52:50 From Isabella Gamk : #EarthLifeFirst
13:53:00 From Adam Reid : Yes, the poor use of public funds by federal and provincial governments is extremely frustrating. As long as we have “party politics” where the current government is always focused on re-election, no one will take the political risk necessary to implement systemic change. Red/Blue both don’t represent their constituents bravely, we need election reform and less influence from the private sector on our political parties. Someone mentioned the problem of housing as a commodity, a huge issue. Receiving handwritten letters from “small, local real estate partners” in the mail, that in truth are sent out by companies looking to scoop up as much housing as possible. This kind of “business” should be illegal. Everyone should have a home, individuals/companies owning multiple “rental/investment properties” is a grotesque inequality, and another example of people with wealth profiteering off those without.
13:53:46 From Abby Slater (she/her) : @mayorhelps while police are definitely not the answer, if the goal is to remove people from encampments and move them to unsafe or unsanitary housing I am not sure how peer counsellors help resolve this…although I totally understand that calling the police is not the answer.
13:53:49 From Danielle Astrug : Is this 25% Juha is referring to what we call Inclusionary Zoning?
13:53:59 From Daryl Kaytor : Thank you Juha the answer is supply, full stop.
13:54:10 From Abby Slater (she/her) : I don’t mean the goal should be that…but it seems to be the goal of the City of Toronto…
13:54:12 From Leilani Farha : Remember that in Finland they repurposed existing shelters into long-term housing with supports where required. it is one of the ways they phased out shelters as “homes”
13:54:41 From Abby Slater (she/her) : Perhaps income support is indeed an immediate response.
13:55:00 From Abby Slater (she/her) : Thank you Mary for this 60 day response question.
13:55:18 From Isabella Gamk : Landlords know that if ODSP or OW clients have to use their whole cheque to pay rent that they would have to do something shady to get by and so, now, we have ads in the paper that say ODSP and OW clients Need Not Apply! If people get lifted out of poverty crime rates drop. Known fact!
13:55:31 From Adam Reid : A strong form of Universal Basic Income/Basic Income Guarantee
13:55:38 From Jennifer Jewell to Marjorie Knight and all panelists : Can we leave the chat up for a bit after the meeting so the participants can read through the comments?
13:56:13 From Susan Martin : Why can we not, in Victoria (and other places) designate a suitable space where camping is ALLOWED, provide a suitable surface (like hardscape), connections to electricity, warming if needed and sanitation. And facilitate the community themselves to manage it?
13:56:24 From Canadian Urban Institute : Hi Jennifer, we will be posting the chat transcript to our website www.citytalkcanada.ca
13:56:32 From Adam Reid : Definitely Isabella, folks are driven to crime out of desperation because society has failed them
13:56:33 From Tecla Van Bussel : The bottom line for any “trauma-informed”, “harm reduction” approach is not displacing people from encampments …
13:56:36 From Mayor Lisa Helps : @SusanMartin, talk with Saanich.
13:56:51 From Susan Martin : Lisa is Saanich doing that?
13:56:54 From Mayor Lisa Helps : Victoria is tiny. They have lots of land.
13:56:56 From Isabella Gamk : Unfortunately the government has been allowed to change peoples ethics and morals and now after yrs of struggling in poverty someone who may not have committed crime in the past may now shoplift. Shameful!
13:57:01 From Ryan May : Affordable housing would be effective if 1, it were truly affordable and in good condition, and 2, if there is enough supply of it to address those that need it. I am unsure of other regions, but at least in Toronto, there is no where close to enough supply, and the existing stock is in critical disrepair. We need to either overhaul the system to be based on need instead of availability (requiring significant increased investment), or approach it from a more privatized approach with a UBI so that those in need can find their own accomodations.
13:57:06 From Jesse Allan : Not just for the next 60 days, Dr. Indefinitely! We cannot let the next 2 months go by and then return to status quo
13:57:35 From Adam Reid : Tecla yes! I hope they address the brutality of the police towards the citizens they are supposed to protect. The fact that we live in a society that sanctions state violence is extremely distressing.
13:57:39 From Keith Anderson to All panelists : We can discuss and implement pragmatic solutions but how do we prohibit and prevent further use of police in violent removal of people in encampments and their advocates!!
13:57:49 From Mayor Lisa Helps : @SusanMartin talk with councillor Taylor, deVries, Mersereua to see if you can find any allies there for that idea.
13:58:04 From Susan Martin : @Lisa – completely agree. I hope that Nicole’s report will be presented to all the other mayors and councils in the CRD
13:58:33 From Kellen Jackson : I would like folks in the chat to understand that the recent Strathcona decampment in “Vancouver” was not done in a humane or accountable way to unhoused people, even as it remains true that many were able to access housing. It included several weeks of gradually escalated enforcement and fencing, police presence and threats of arrest to those who were not amenable to the housing on offer (for various valid reasons). This is not a free, prior and informed consent model of relations.
13:58:34 From Christine Bélanger to All panelists : Systemic disablement.
13:58:40 From Keith Anderson to All panelists : Agree Jennifer, nothing really new, people and systems not listening
13:58:43 From Leilani Farha : BTW, Nicole’s report adopts a human rights framework 😉
13:58:45 From Lester Brown to All panelists : Thank you for another engaging conversation. Especially great to hear the voices of Tina and Jennifer.
13:58:48 From Juha Kaakinen to All panelists : affordable social housing in Finland means that the rent level is around 50% of market level + you can get housing allowance that covers 80% of the rent
13:59:11 From Anna Fitzpatrick to All panelists : for those interested, CMHC has a program where they’re currently providing funding to projects and solutions to reduce barriers to new housing supply in canada: https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/professionals/project-funding-and-mortgage-financing/funding-programs/all-funding-programs/housing-supply-challenge
13:59:38 From Susan Martin : votehousing.ca
13:59:46 From Tecla Van Bussel : ^^ Kellen
13:59:48 From Ryan May : Jennifer Jewell and Tina Dawson thank you both so much for your insights. You raise the most important point, and that is that you are acutely aware of what you need. Political leadership should empower you to co-lead our deployed solutions.
13:59:49 From Heather Murphy to All panelists : In Victoria, the housed and unhoused organized a community care tent in the encampment in Oct. 2020. The response was to remove it for legal and safety reasons. No dialogue. No collaboration.
13:59:58 From Adam Reid : Thank you Kellen. In Toronto, protestors were pepper-sprayed, beaten and handcuffed.
14:00:26 From Danielle Astrug : – in 60 days
14:00:36 From Keith Anderson to All panelists : Perhaps more work, information-sharing etc with adjacent neighbours of encampments so their fear, stigmatizing and inconvenience doesn’t insite unhelpful government interventons
14:00:40 From Kirsten Jasper : Does anyone know if the feds have appointed a federal housing advocate yet??
14:00:58 From Katie Fillion : Tina, thank you for sharing today – we miss you over here in North Park <3
14:01:19 From Diane Dyson : No Federal Housing Advocate yet appointed.
14:01:27 From Kellen Jackson : Solidarity w those in Tkaronto thank you ❤️
14:01:40 From Heather Murphy to All panelists : On the whole, Lisa Helps has done good work in terms of ending homelessness.
14:01:43 From Kirsten Jasper : @Diane – thanks. Frustrating.. this position has been vacant for almost a year
14:01:52 From Jesse Jenkinson to All panelists : If anyone is able to post a link to the Victoria report, that would be so appreciated! I joined late.
14:01:54 From Tommy Taylor : Bold vision and leadership is so desperately needed in Canadian cities! True!
14:01:57 From Kirsten Jasper : well.. new position yet to be filled
14:02:07 From Adam Reid : Leilani 100%. Governments can’t make systemic change without taking “political risks”.
14:02:22 From Mayor Lisa Helps : @HeatherMurphy And then the City FUNDED a care tent that was set up alongside the park that didn’t violate the Trust so that we could focus on housing not fighting with people invested in upholding a trust from the late 19th century!
14:02:29 From Kirsten Goa : Here in Edmonton, we are seeing an increase in our unhoused population of about 200 people a month. One of our somewhat unique challenges is that people come here from across the Territories and northern BC, AB and Sask to access the health care and justice systems and other services and then get stuck here. Often these people have a home in their community, but have no connection to ways to get back or to supports for navigating our system. The multi-jurisdictional gaps are significant.
14:02:34 From Canadian Urban Institute : CUI extends a big thank you to our partner for today’s session, the Shift. Learn more about their work here: https://www.make-the-shift.org/ Keep the conversation going #CityTalk @canurb You can find transcripts and recordings of today’s and all our sessions at https://www.canurb.org/citytalk
14:02:41 From Christine Bélanger to All panelists : Thank you everyone for this enlightening chat!
14:02:43 From Leilani Farha : Thanks Everyone! Rich!
14:02:45 From Anna Fitzpatrick to All panelists : Great talk, thank you!
14:02:46 From Adam Reid : The ongoing escalating inflation and climate crisis are only going to make things harder. We need to act now.
14:02:53 From Tommy Taylor : Jennifer! Tina! THANK-YOU!!!!!
14:03:02 From Kellen Jackson : thank you for your work leilani
14:03:03 From Danielle Astrug : thank you to all of the panelists and @MaryWRowe for being such a fantastic Moderator
14:03:04 From Heather Murphy to All panelists : Thank you Tina!
14:03:08 From Anna-Liza Badaloo : Thx to Jennifer and Tina especially for sharing your experience 🙂
14:03:09 From Cole Gately : Thank you!
14:03:09 From Stephanie Beausoleil to All panelists : Thank you for sharing your story n perspectives
14:03:09 From Erin Dej : Fantastic facilitation Mary! It was wonderful to get a chance to hear from so many panelists without anyone feeling rushed!
14:03:13 From Tim Rissesco : thank you !!!
14:03:15 From Abby Slater (she/her) : thank you Mary and thank you Tina and Jennifer for sharing your stories.
14:03:16 From Jen Evans : we need basic income. badly.
14:03:17 From Kirsten Jasper : thanks to all for sharing your comments and ideas
14:03:17 From Kirsten Goa : Thank you all so much! This was so important and powerful and I’m so grateful to all of you!
14:03:19 From Michelle Carter to All panelists : Thank you everyone! a stimulating 60 mins!!
14:03:20 From Jennifer Jewell to Adam Reid and all panelists : If people want to reach out/talk I’m @wyld_wych on Twitter
14:03:24 From Isabella Gamk : Affordable, subsidized, rent geared to income housing, Shelters, Food Banks, Community Meals, UBI, Bi and the Federal Disability Benefit are all smokescreens to the real issue of poverty. Food Banks do not help the most vulnerable. I have severe IBS and severe acid reflux, Barrett’s Disease and a damaged esophagus and I am on a restrictive diet. I am lactose free, gluten free and use the Fodmap diet to control my IBS. I can’t take pain killers in pill form or I end up in the hospital really constipated. I am 6′ 5 1/2″ tall and weigh 132 lbs. I am being starved to death.
14:03:25 From Jesse Allan : Nothing but love to Tina and Jennifer. Solidarity forever.
14:03:26 From Kellen Jackson : and thank you to Jennifer and Tina for being here and generously sharing your experience
14:03:38 From Adam Reid : Thank you Jennifer and Tina, and thank you to all the panelists for participating in this important conversation.
14:03:40 From Stephen Cremin-Endes : Thank you! Awesome!
14:03:43 From Mayor Lisa Helps : Guaranteed basic income is key!!
14:03:49 From Erika Morton : Thanks for hosting this important convo!
14:03:52 From Ryan May : Thank you!
14:03:53 From Roya Khaleeli to All panelists : thankyou
14:03:54 From Adam Reid : YAY LISA! GBI
14:03:59 From Erin Dej : Tina, Jennifer. Your messages were very powerful. You were heard!
14:03:59 From Isabella Gamk : So disappointed we never got to speak.
14:04:10 From Heather Murphy to All panelists : Thank you Jennifer. I hope you get appropriate and accessable housing damn soon!
14:04:18 From Kaitlin Schwan to All panelists : Enormous gratitude to all the panelists, especially to Jennifer and Tina!!
14:04:27 From Diane Dyson : I can hear you Isabella.
14:08:43 From Canadian Urban Institute : Hi folks. The chat will be closed at 2:10 ET. Please take the next couple of minutes to read through or copy and paste to your computer. We will also be posting the chat transcript to our website www.citytalkcanada.ca. Thank you.
14:09:36 From Frank Uthaug to All panelists : I can hear you