Doug Ford to crack down on homeless encampments with fines for drug use

Doug Ford to crack down on homeless encampments with fines for drug use and more funding

Amid rising homelessness and an explosion of tent encampments in parks, Premier Doug Ford will earmark an additional $75.5 million for shelters and affordable housing — and toughen up trespassing laws.

“Enough is enough. This has to stop and it will stop. Families deserve to play in and enjoy their parks without fearing for the safety of their kids,” Ford said Thursday as critics warned he’s criminalizing homelessness, which has grown worse under his watch.

“These encampments are taking over public spaces with illegal drug use happening out in the open, creating huge safety risks for people and communities,” said the premier.

His comments came on the final day of the legislative session as the Progressive Conservatives introduced changes that will immediately give municipalities more money for shelter and services for homeless people.

But the legislation to give police more power to punish scofflaws would not be in force until next the spring at the earliest.

Pressure has been mounting on Ford to act because encampments have spread throughout the province and many mayors — and constituents — have appealed to him for help.

Joan Prowse, chair of the Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association, said she doesn’t support taking a hard line or resorting to some of the tactics Ford has proposed, like invoking the notwithstanding clause to override legal hurdles that would prevent the removal of tents from parks.

“We need to be fair to people in the parks who don’t have anywhere to go, but at the same time, we have people living in buildings that are having break-ins, or their kids can’t play in the park,” said Prowse.

The city recently promised more outreach to help people living in the encampment near Little Norway Park, in Prowse’s neighbourhood, to access better shelter options.

“That’s the way to go, not just recklessly clearing them out,” said Prowse.

Municipalities will have to start tracking how many homeless people are moved from encampments into new accommodations and report that to the province to justify how the funds are being spent.

“We want to help people, we don’t want to punish people,” the premier said at a Queen’s Park press conference where he announced amendments to the Trespass to Property Act.

With the government extending the legislature’s winter break by two weeks — meaning MPPs won’t return until March 3 — the proposed legislation on new powers would not go to a final vote for weeks after that.

Liberal Leader Bonnie dismissed the plan as “political grandstanding.”

“When we come back, we will likely be going to an election,” said Crombie.

Andrew Boozary, a physician and professor at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health, noted incarcerating someone costs triple the monthly amount of operating a single supportive housing unit.

“Housing is a matter of human dignity and sound health economics,” said Boozary.