Toronto city council is divided over the authority of city staff to select shelter locations without prior public input. A motion aimed at amending the zoning bylaw for larger shelters provoked debate, with councillors emphasizing the need for earlier resident consultations. A petition with nearly 6,000 signatures opposed the proposed site at 1220 Wilson Ave, citing safety concerns. Supporters argue that delegating selection helps address Toronto's housing crisis efficiently. Meanwhile, city staff noted the conduct of 17 public consultations regarding the shelter sites.
Nearly 6,000 residents signed a petition against the Wilson Avenue site, citing safety concerns in the community, Pasternak told council.
Instead of seeking public approval in advance, staff plan to hold consultations to help integrate the sites into communities after a location has been selected but prior to construction beginning.
There are 15,000 people who are homeless in Toronto, said Mayor Olivia Chow at the meeting, and the city only has capacity to house 12,000 of them.
Staff noted 17 public consultations were held for all six sites, some of which brought in over 300 people to share concerns and ideas for the shelters.
Collection
[
|
...
]