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COVID-19 has further revealed Toronto’s housing crisis. During the pandemic, encampments created by those impacted by homelessness have appeared throughout Toronto’s public parks. In fear of contracting the coronavirus, residents of encampments argue that the public space tents provide safer living conditions than those offered by the shelter system.
The City has worked to depopulate shelters, negotiating vacant buildings and hotels to house the homeless. However, the City’s accommodation efforts have not always been well received. Some homeowners residing in neighbourhoods proximate to tents or temporary shelters have protested over safety concerns. Similarly, those impacted by homelessness argue that the housing options provided by the City are located far from the social connections and services they often access in their communities.
