Finding warmth in the street

Last month, the City of Toronto released the Winter Services Plan, which explains how the city is preparing to support those experiencing homelessness in anticipation of colder weather. However, organizations that support unhoused people explain systemic change is needed rather than temporary, seasonal ones. Some of the preparations the city is making are additional shelter and housing space, the activation of four warming centres, new supportive homes, extended day-time drop-in hours, additional outreach, and more.

Despite the efforts from the city, the most common difficulty for those experiencing homelessness in the winter remains a lack of “safe and warm spaces, whether in shelter or in community spaces,” says Erin Marshall over email, the Mission & Communications Coordinator for The Salvation Army.

The Salvation Army is one organization that works to help those in need. They have provided shelter and housing for decades in Toronto and operate nine shelters, some of which have been open for over 100 years.

Marshall further explains that systemic changes are needed to address homelessness in the city adequately. Even as The Salvation Army increases its services, “the lack of affordable housing is a huge roadblock.”

“We always need more understanding and advocacy for systemic change. While winter often spotlights homelessness, it is bigger than a seasonal issue,” says Marshall.

Marshall expresses that while temporary housing during winter helps in the short term, policy changes and innovative ways the city and country can ensure accessibility to housing would be better because, in the end, “shelters aren't the answer to a homelessness crisis, housing is.” She also points out that there has been a shift in the length of time people are homeless; it’s getting longer.

Another time shift is how long it takes for someone even to find a spot in a shelter. Dani Morrison, a housing specialist at Yonge Street Mission, a social service provider, explains over email that the “Central Intake (centralized system used to allocate people into shelters) is currently reporting that it takes on average 2 months to find someone a spot in a shelter.”

Morrison adds that over the past few years, the number of people utilizing Yonge Street Mission services has dramatically increased and greatly attributes it to the lack of affordable housing.

The Scotiabank Arena in downtown Toronto is over 650,000 sq. feet, with dozens of rows of seats that can accommodate almost 20,000 thousand people. The arena appears to offer much room, yet if all the people experiencing homelessness in the city, an estimated 18,000, entered the arena, there would be almost no space left.

The crisis of homelessness in Toronto is worsening, and more encampments and street-made shelters are popping up around the city. Despite the many hardships those experiencing homelessness face, people are finding ways to stay somewhat warm or create structures that allow some form of residence within the streets. According to reporting by CBC, the number of tents set up has doubled since last year, meaning the visibility of various living quarters is becoming more visible. Public parks and streets have become more than places to spend an afternoon or walk to do errands; they’re the places where people find home and warmth.

A woman wearing many layers of clothing sits on the sidewalk

On a chilly day, an individual wearing numerous layers of clothing sits outside a TD Bank in Toronto, a city with thousands of homeless people and a lack of housing, with a cup ready to accept money. (Rowan Flood) Nov., 9, 2024.

A blue tent in a park surrounded by trees and fallen leaves

Fallen leaves surround a tent in Christie Pits Park in Toronto, a reminder that winter and the dangers that come with it are approaching. (Rowan Flood) Nov., 9, 2024.

A blue tarp and torn clothes, a commodity shelters express, is greatly needed this season, is beside a tent set up in Christie Pits Park in Toronto. (Rowan Flood) Nov., 9, 2024.

A man sits at a bus stop as a someone passes by on the sidewalk

A person wrapped in winter clothes and accompanied by a large suitcase speaks to a passersby in Toronto on Nov. 9, 2024. (Rowan Flood)

A blue tarp creates a tent shape besides trees in a park

A tent made with a blue tarp sits partially hidden by trees in Christie Pits Park as social service organizations say encampments are increasing in the city. (Rowan Flood) Nov. 11, 2024.

Two people sit slumped together on stoop of doorway off the sidewalk

Two people lie together in downtown Toronto, a city lacking affordable housing, on Nov. 11, 2024. (Rowan Flood)

A brown duvet cover lying on grass

A blanket, one of the items social service organizations say is needed this season, gets wet and covered with leaves during a rainy, cool Toronto day on November 11, 2024. (Rowan Flood)

A person sits on the sidewalk with a guitar in their lap

A man takes a break from playing guitar to express his optimism that he will get the 30 dollars he needs to pay his friend to sleep at their place that night. (Rowan Flood) Nov., 11, 2024.

A stuffed animal and loose change are in the guitar box of the man without permanent housing who is trying to raise funds by singing and strumming in the street on Nov., 11, 2024. (Rowan Flood)

A cardboard sign says 'Lost my weed in a series of small fires'

The optimism of the man playing guitar for rent money is mimicked by the smiley faces drawn on his signs. (Rowan Flood) Nov., 11, 2024.