Housing for homeless helps prevent winter emergency shelter crises: advocate
Homeless shelter emergencies aren’t happening in other Canadian winter cities because they have focused on getting people into housing, says the head of a national group working to get people off the streets.
Officials in Toronto opened a temporary homeless shelter earlier this month in the face of what Mayor John Tory called relentless cold and an unprecedented demand for additional supports.
“There’s a surge in homelessness for some reason,” said Tim Richter, president of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness. “They don’t know what to attribute it all to yet.”
Although he agreed Toronto needs to meet this winter’s demand, he said the city must address a larger issue.