York Region is continuing to see a rise in homelessness and encampments reaching statistical highs.
The Regional Municipality of York said its social services employees made visits to 298 encampment locations this year as of October 2024, compared to 62 in 2021. Individuals experiencing chronic homelessness have also increased, with an estimated 473 people in 2024 in York Region compared to 124 in 2019.
Homelessness community programs director Cristina Taglione said the region is taking measures to address the issue, but more will be required.
“Bold actions at all levels of government, together with the efforts of many different community partners, are required to prevent and address homelessness,” she said. “York Region is committed to continue working with our partners toward a future where everyone has a safe place to call home.”
Encampments and homelessness have become an increasing concern in York Region and beyond. In Newmarket, the downtown BIA has said homelessness is an issue that has affected the downtown core. Meanwhile, municipalities and the province are looking at new legislation to deal with encampments, with Premier Doug Ford promising measures to address encampments and to use the notwithstanding clause for legal challenges.
York Region has systematically monitored encampments starting in 2020, while also keeping a tab on chronically homeless in need of support. Taglione said the region takes a “supportive and respectful approach” to working with people living unsheltered.
Commissioner of community and health services Lisa Gonsalves told regional council Nov. 7 that encampment visits were up 46 per cent over 2023 already, when workers visited 204 encampment locations.
“This increase is concerning, and we’re working with our partners, including community agencies, hospitals, service providers … to address these local issues,” she said.
Regional council passed a homelessness plan in June to address the immediate and long-term needs of residents experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Measures planned include enhancing prevention and diversion services, improving systems with partners that address homelessness, more advocacy and engagement, and delivering housing stability support.
More immediate measures that are underway include adding 139 beds to the emergency and transitional housing systems and expanding community paramedicine and outreach response to provide primary care support to people experiencing homelessness.
Those efforts will “ensure that if and when it occurs, homelessness is a rare, brief and non-recurring event,” Taglione said.
While 12 Ontario mayors, including Barrie Mayor Alex Nutall, issued a letter to the premier asking to use the notwithstanding clause to allow municipalities to regulate and prohibit encampments, no York Region mayors have signed onto that.
Ford wrote back to these mayors that addressing encampments is a matter of safety.
"That’s why we are acting to put an end to the public disorder, drug use and trafficking and loss of public space that have resulted from the widespread growth in encampments,” Ford said in a Dec. 5 open letter. "Enough is enough."
