Status Report on Capacity of the

Emergency Shelter System

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee recommends:

(a)the adoption of the report dated March 4, 1999, from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services, subject to:

(i)amending Recommendation No. (7) to read as follows:

"(7)the City extend the use of the privately owned property at 312 Broadview Avenue for public service use as a temporary 60-bed emergency shelter for men operated by the Salvation Army; and that the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services be requested to provide the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee with a review of its operations in two months' time;"; and

(ii)amending Recommendation No. (8) to read as follows:

"(8)staff be directed to pursue the immediate opening of a temporary single men's program in mid-April should the occupancy of the single men's system exceed 90 percent, and identify any sites that may need to be considered before the 90 percent threshold is achieved so that there may be appropriate notification and consultation of all interested parties;";

(b)that there be consultation with the community and Ward Councillors during the implementation of the transition process from the emergency shelter at 126 Pape Avenue to the new 18-bed residential program for homeless adult women, and that this matter be given immediate attention;

(c)that, in the future, development of any new hostel facilities must adhere to a protocol for meaningful community consultation prior to Council approval of the establishment of such facilities; and

(d)that Council endorse a "fair share" policy for the siting of emergency shelter housing across the new City, and instruct the Committee responsible for the review of the City's Official Plan to incorporate such policy in the Official Plan.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee, reports for the information of Council, having directed the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services to report to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee:

(1)at the earliest opportunity, on strategies and initiatives that can be immediately pursued to ensure a wider distribution of affordable and social housing across the new City;

(2)on the feasibility of issuing a Request for Proposals to encourage submission of proposals from any property owners who have available properties for potential shelter use; and

(3)in six months' time, and on a regular basis thereafter, on emergency shelter operations in Toronto, such report to include:

(i)the City's progress in implementing Recommendation No. 6 of the Homelessness Action Task Force, which reads:

"Resources should be directed from providing hostel spaces to helping people find and maintain permanent housing, on condition that a sufficient new supply of supportive and low-cost housing is created. This shift should be phased in by reducing the number of hostel spaces by 10 percent each year until the total is reduced by half the base number."; and

(ii)any significant issues related to the operation of specific shelters, efforts made to resolve problems through community consultation and mediation, and the prospect for resolution of the identified problems.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services submits the following report (March 4, 1999) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services:

Purpose:

To provide the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee with an update on the capacity of the emergency shelter system, to identify areas where there are projected shortfalls, and to suggest short and long-term strategies for addressing the shortfalls.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

The continued growth in demand on the shelter system has been anticipated and is included in the 1999 budget request.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee support the objective of maintaining the monthly occupancy level of the emergency shelter system for adults and youth at no more than 90 percent;

(2)the City extend the use of its property at 60 Richmond Street East for public service use as an 85-bed emergency shelter and drop-in for men and women operated by Dixon Hall and Central Neighbourhood House;

(3)while continuing to pursue the relocation of the Bail Reporting Centre to a new facility, the staff of Facilities Management work with staff of Hostel Services to review the space requirements of the two programs at 60 Richmond Street East with the intention of providing increased floor space to the shelter program and resolving shared space issues which may exist;

(4)the City extend the use of its property at 11 Ordnance Street for public service use as a 50-bed shelter, transitional housing and training development program for youth to be operated by Eva's Place youth shelter;

(5)the City extend the use of its property at 5248 Yonge Street for public service use as a 37-bed emergency shelter for youth operated by Eva's Place Youth Shelter;

(6)the City extend the use of its property at 126 Pape for public service use as an 18-bed residential program for homeless adult women operated by St. Vincent de Paul, and that staff be directed to approach the Province regarding the provision of supportive housing funding on this site;

(7)the City extend the use of the privately owned property at 312 Broadview Avenue for public service use as a 60-bed emergency shelter for men operated by the Salvation Army;

(8)staff be directed to pursue the immediate opening of a temporary single men's program in mid-April should the occupancy of the single men's system exceed 90 percent;

(9)the Mayor and Chair of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee meet with the Ministers of Health and Housing to seek appropriate funding for transitional/supportive housing programs which are currently being funded under the hostel per diem;

(10)staff be directed to report back to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee in April with further information on strategies to address the situation in the family shelters; and

(11)the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

Council Reference/Background/History:

Because of rapidly changing pressures on the emergency shelter system and general concerns for homeless people in our community, the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee has requested that staff prepare regular reports updating Committee on the status of needs and services in this area.

Comments:

Current Status:

As we approach the summer of 1999, occupancy of the shelter system remains high. Despite a total capacity of approximately 4,200 beds, the occupancy of the system has been approximately 95percent. With only 5 percent capacity remaining, the system's ability of responding to changes in the homeless population is being challenged. On any given night, there are approximately 100-150 beds available in the system. These beds are scattered throughout the City and are sometimes located in facilities that are already operating at very high capacities. Further, the beds that are available may not provide the supports and services that are needed by the homeless individuals seeking beds on that night. All these factors make it more difficult for a person to access a shelter bed at the time it is needed.

Building a Vacancy Capacity in the Adult and Youth Shelters:

Traditionally, requests for shelter beds in the adult and youth systems drop during the summer months. At the same time, however, the capacity of the system is reduced through the closure of winter programs. Prior to 1997, demand dropped further than bed reductions allowing us to maintain a healthy vacancy rate. Over the past two years, however, these two patterns have begun to converge. Even during the summer months, shelter occupancy remains high. Many shelters remain crowded and the right shelter bed is not always available at the right time. In order to address these issues and to restore the flexibility and responsiveness needed in the system, staff are recommending that we target 90 percent as the desired occupancy level for the emergency shelter system for adults and youth.

While it is clear that in the short term the system requires expansion, it should be noted that occupancy levels are not the same for each client group. In some client sectors, the system remains capable of responding to demands. In others, the gap between beds available and beds used is closing at a rapid rate. The following section details the situation facing various client groups and recommends strategies to address these needs.

Attached as Appendix 1 are graphs that illustrate, by client group, the shelter occupancies and capacities for February and July during the last six years.

Shelters for Youth:

The youth shelter system works with individuals aged 16-25 years old. Staff project that the spring/summer occupancy of this system will be approximately 85 percent. This provides good flexibility and allows most youth seeking a space in the system will be able to find one.

This projection assumes that we will retain all beds that are currently open and accordingly staff are recommending the extension of The Satellite Youth Shelter, which operates in the City-owned site at 5248 Yonge Street. This is a very successful program that has operated for the past two winters and which works with youth that require different supports than those traditionally provided in the youth shelters.

The provision of immediate supports to homeless youth continues to be crucial; however, the system will never be able to move past crisis responses without the development of supportive, transitional programs that move youth forward into permanent housing. Staff, along with community and private partners, are currently working on the development of an innovative program that will have exactly this focus. The City-owned site at 11 Ordnance Street is being redeveloped as an innovative 50-bed youth shelter which provides educational, life skills and training supports that are key in helping people find and maintain jobs and housing. Work on this site will begin in March. Youth have been involved in design discussions and will be involved in a training program that will include working with the contractor on site construction. It is expected that youth will be living on site by late 1999.

Shelters for Single Women:

The single women's system currently has a capacity of 367 with another 166 beds available in the co-ed adult facilities. Occupancy for the summer is projected at 90 percent. As with the youth system this occupancy projection assumes that the capacity of the system will need to be maintained at its current level. In addition to maintaining capacity, the focus of some beds must also be shifted.

The ability of the women's system to appropriately reach the "hardest-to-serve" women must be addressed. While there are proportionately fewer women using the system than men, homeless women are more likely to experience mental health problems. A number of new beds have opened or will be opening to work with this client group. Savard's, an existing program that has been in operation since 1997, has recently been expanded from 10 to 15 beds. Another 15 beds will become available with the opening of a harm-reduction program when Women's Residence returns to its renovated site at 674 Dundas Street West. In addition, we must provide longer-term supportive responses for those women who use the emergency shelter system on a chronic basis. These women no longer need emergency shelter, but require longer term housing with the supports they need to stabilize their lives.

Over the past two winters, only one new program for single women has opened. This program, located in a City-owned property at 126 Pape Avenue, was opened in January of 1999. The 30-bed women's shelter occupies the northern section of the building while an Ambulance Station occupies the southern portion. Staff recommend that the use of this site be extended but that the capacity of the program be reduced to 18 beds. The thrust of the program would be shifted away from emergency service to longer-term residential support in order to meet the needs of the women described in the previous paragraph. Clients would be admitted on a referral basis only, from other women's emergency shelters. The women would live communally with on site staff supports provided 24 hours a day. Hostel Services currently operates a similar program that has been very successful and would like to see an expansion of this type of service. Development of this type of supportive response will be essential if we expect to curtail the continuing expansion of the emergency shelter system. This type of program should more appropriately be funded at the provincial level as supportive housing and staff will be approaching the Ministries of Health and Housing to begin discussions.

In order to replace the beds that would be lost through this capacity reduction, staff will pursue a further 15-bed expansion of the women's system at another location.

Shelters for Single Men:

The single men's system has been operating at close to capacity for the past two years. For the past two summers, occupancy was approximately 94 percent. In February of 1999, occupancy was at 98percent. This meant that on average approximately 50 beds were available in the men's system. Staff believe that the vacancy margin in this sector is too small.

By early summer two facilities with a total of 160 beds, the majority serving adult men, will be closed. The buildings will be demolished to make way for redevelopment. In addition, the Out of the Cold Programs, which are used in large part by single adult men, will begin closing for the season.

To accommodate demand, we must begin by retaining the remaining beds that we have in place. The Salvation Army's 60-bed facility located at 312 Broadview Avenue that opened this winter should continue to operate. The City should also approve the ongoing use of 60 Richmond Street East as an emergency shelter. This program, operating out of a City-owned building has been open since January of 1998 and successfully provides both shelter and a drop-in services. The program currently shares the building with the Bail Reporting Centre. Facilities Management staff are working to relocate the Bail Program but have not yet been successful in finding alternate space. Once this program is relocated, it is hoped that the shelter and drop-in program could expand into the rest of the building. This expansion would address the overcrowding in the existing program and could lead to a small increase in beds. Until such time as the Bail Program can relocate, staff recommend that staff of Hostel Services and Facilities Management work together to develop a plan to improved the shared space for both the shelter program and the Bail Reporting Centre.

Once these sites are secured, further bed expansion must take place to replace the sites that are being lost and to allow the occupancy level to return to 90 percent. Staff estimates that the total number of beds needed to achieve this will be 220. From the demand being placed on the Seaton House Annex, it is clear that at least a portion of these beds need to be based on the harm reduction model. Staff have begun to explore some possibilities for the establishment of additional beds.

It will be important to bring these new beds on stream in early April. As other seasonal beds begin to close, it cannot be assumed men will be able to find alternate housing, nor can it be accepted that they may be forced into living on the street. If sufficient new beds are not in place by April 15, staff recommend that the City be prepared to move to immediately open a temporary single men's shelter as a bridge until new beds are available.

Seaton House:

All of the capacity figures related to the single men's system are based on the assumption that Seaton House can maintain its existing capacity at 550 beds. The capital renovation of Seaton House is scheduled to begin in July of 1999. In order to expedite the renovation process, staff are currently seeking sites where at least a portion of the Seaton House beds could be relocated. If alternate space cannot be located, the renovation of Seaton House will have to be delayed as it will not be reasonable to assume that the remainder of the system could absorb these bed closures. The renovation would proceed when alternate bed space is found.

Shelters for Couples:

Separate statistics are not kept on the number of adult couples without children who are using the emergency shelter system. Over the past number of years, the shelter system has become more available to couples as a number of co-ed adult facilities are now available. Prior to this, couples accessed the family system if space was available, or were forced to separate and use the single adult facilities. There are many couples in the system and a significant number are connecting with the Doctor's Hospital site and the Out of the Cold programs. As both these programs will be closing in April, staff will be looking for alternative programs that can make space available to couples.

Shelters for Families:

Unlike the other client groups, the number of shelter beds for families is not fixed. There are 600 permanent family shelter beds. The remainder of the capacity in the family system is achieved through purchase of service agreements with motel owners. Rooms/beds are purchased according to demand. At the present time 1,100 people are housed in the motel program.

Families are one of the fastest growing segments of the homeless population. Staff are projecting that numbers will be up by 600 people over the same time last year. Many families are forced into emergency shelters because they simply cannot find or maintain adequate affordable housing while working minimum wage jobs or collecting social assistance. Another large group of families has to leave their homes because of violence. There are not sufficient beds in the assaulted women's sector to support them and so they must turn to the emergency shelter system. Assaulted women's shelters are now fully provincially funded and staff are not aware of any plans to increase the number of beds in Toronto. Staff will be meeting with the provincial Ministry of Community and Social Services to discuss this issue.

There are limited options for expanding the emergency shelter beds to families. Staff believe that we will be able to respond to increasing numbers by further expansion of the motel program. Unfortunately, expansion within Toronto is not possible. The Kingston Road motel strip cannot be further expanded, and motel owners in other parts of the City have not expressed an interest in contracting with the City. Staff believe that we will be able to purchase more motel beds outside the City of Toronto and will begin negotiation with motel owners shortly in order to secure rooms prior to the start of the tourist season.

As with the other sectors, it is imperative that we develop longer-term strategies to address the ever-increasing numbers. One new family project is slated to open in the near future. Beatrice House, a 60-bed project serving single mothers and children, is scheduled to open in early summer of 1999. An innovative program which brings together shelter, education, training and childcare. It is a welcome addition to the system. It is one of the first programs that will, by design, provide longer-term supports to assist women in finding and keeping employment and housing. But we must go further in focussing on prevention and diversion strategies that will keep families from ever having to enter the emergency shelter system. Many families living in the community are but one crisis away from being forced to turn to the shelter system for help. Because families are often forced into the shelter system for purely economic reasons, targeted interventions such as eviction prevention, housing help and landlord mediation are likely to help these families remain housed. A further report will be brought forward in April to make recommendations regarding longer-term hostel diversion strategies for families.

Implications of Suggested Strategies:

Zoning Issues:

One of the prime strategies being recommended to address capacity issues is the retention of existing sites that were opened over the past two winters. Seven sites were opened and of these only one was opened with as of right zoning in place. The remaining six sites were located on properties that normally would have required full rezoning or would have had to go to committee of adjustment for minor variances. Minor variances take approximately three months. Planning approvals (required regulatory and additional community meetings) for rezoning take anywhere from 12-16 months. At the end of these processes, there is still the possibility that decisions could be appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board resulting in lengthy delays and possible refusal of the proposed variance/rezoning.

Traditionally, the development of a new shelter takes 5-7 years. Almost all new shelters require rezoning and at least 1.5 to 2 years of the development process is taken up with the consultations, meetings, hearings and appeals associated with rezoning. While this process has been viable when longer lead times were available, over the past two winters a different process has been required. What has driven the need for services during this time was an unprecedented increase in the number of people requiring emergency shelter service. Sheer volume of demand required an immediate expansion of beds available. Use of the traditional process would have resulted in beds opening many months, if not years, after the crisis had been identified.

In 1997 and 1998, the City used sections of the zoning by-laws of the former Cities of Toronto and North York which gives certain governments and public services the right to use buildings/lands for public service use/essential services. Emergency shelter use was defined by both Cities as a public service use/essential service. These sections have allowed the City to issue building permits immediately. This speed of action has been critical in developing an appropriate response. Using this process, one 100-bed program was opened in 29 days.

Staff are recommending that Council extend the use of the sites which were opened during 1997 and 1998 using these zoning by-law exceptions and that these emergency shelter uses continue to be permitted under these exceptions.

Neighbourhood Concerns:

The use of the zoning provisions as described above has meant that there has been limited consultation with members of the community living in proximity to new facilities. As the sites have not been rezoned, there has been no requirement for official notification in the change of use of the site, nor have there been official requirements for public meetings. While some meetings have taken place in some communities, this often happened some time after work had begun on facilities. Some community members have found this extremely upsetting. They feel that the City provided little information about what was taking place and proceeded with little consideration of local residents. They are further frustrated by the fact that as there is not a rezoning process in place, they have little recourse for objecting to or impacting on the use of the site.

It is the experience of staff that shelters have little impact on the surrounding community, particularly if the facility is kept to a reasonable size and managed by an experienced community organization. Unfortunately, that is not the perception of any community that is faced with the opening of an emergency shelter program.

Community Concerns:

Over the past six to eight months, some community advocacy groups have been expressing serious concerns about the emergency shelter system and its ability to appropriately serve the growing numbers of people requiring service. Issues specifically identified have been: overcrowding, under-staffing, inconsistency in treatment of clients (i.e., barrings), and lack of appropriate beds for those seeking help, particularly those with mental health and/or addictions. It is likely that advocacy groups will feel that the recommendations in this report do not go far enough. While staff feel that an occupancy target of 90 percent will go a long way toward addressing the overcrowding issues, advocacy groups have previously indicated that they feel that anything higher than an 85 percent occupancy level will still result in overcrowding in the system. A process is underway to consult shelters and users on the issues of barrings, clients rights and responsibilities, and plain language hostel standards. Staff will to report back to Committee on these items in early summer.

Short-term Response Versus Long-term Solutions:

Over the past number of years, rapid expansion of the emergency shelter system has been the solution to increases in demand. It must be noted, however, that expansion of beds in the system is a short-term response only and is not a solution or answer to the increasing numbers of people that are entering, and becoming trapped in the shelter system. It must further be noted that as effective as this response has been over the past number of years, it is becoming more difficult to find and develop sites. Depletion of appropriate City-owned properties, lack of capital funds for site development and ongoing community resistance to these services make this short-term response less viable with each passing year. Only through the further development of diversion programs (including housing help, eviction prevention and rent banks), which help people avoid the shelter system entirely and through the construction of supportive and affordable housing which will let people leave the emergency shelter system will we begin to be able to reduce the number of shelter beds in the City of Toronto. This is the thrust of the recently released Mayor's Homelessness Action Task Force report and a detailed response to this report will be brought forward to the Committee in April.

Prognosis for Next Winter:

Staff are predicting that the current level of bed capacity will be needed through the fall and winter of 1999-2000. We are hopeful that as we begin to focus on homelessness prevention, shelter diversion and supports to chronic users, we will be able to avoid further expansion of the emergency shelter system. Staff will report back to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee at its first meeting in September with a status report for the fall and winter season.

Conclusions:

The growing demand on the shelter system and the resulting high occupancy levels continue to be problematic. While the situation in the youth and single women's sectors are manageable, staff remain concerned about the trends in the single men's and family sectors. At the present time, we believe that the short-term response for the men's system is the expansion of beds. In the family system, we are hopeful that the increases can be managed through further motel contracts outside of the City and targeted diversion programs that will be discussed in a further report to the Committee in April.

The City must work towards developing a balance between short-term emergency responses such as these and the long-term preventions strategies. While we have begun the development of some transitional programs, we must further shift from a reactive crisis response to more pro-active plan that includes the development of housing and supports for vulnerable people in our community. It is only through these longer-term solutions that we can stop the indefinite expansion of the emergency shelter system.

Contact Name:

Joanne Campbell

General Manager of Shelter, Housing and Support Division

Tel: 392-7885

(A copy of each of the Appendices referred to in the foregoing report was forwarded to all Members of Council with the agenda of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee for its meeting on March 24, 1999, and a copy thereof is on file in the office of the City Clerk.)

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The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports, for the information of Council, also having had before it communications and briefs from the following with respect to the various emergency shelters referred to in the report of the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services:

-(February 26, 1999) from Mr. John Clarke, Provincial Organizer, Ontario Coalition Against Poverty;

-(March 4, 1999) from Ms. Julia Rogers;

-(March 8, 1999) from Ms. Margaret Blair, on behalf of the Lakeside Area Neighbourhoods Association;

-(March 8, 1999) from Ms. Brenda Cohen;

-(March 8, 1999) from Tom and Marlene Altosaar;

-(March 7, 1999) from Mr. Greg Harrison and Mr. Ken McKenzie;

-(March 5, 1999) from the Board of Directors of the Boston Association of Residents for a Clean Quiet Street;

-(Undated) from Mr. Svend Petersen;

-(March 7, 1999) from Mr. Rod Grigor, Ms. Tina Chan and Ms. Jeanette Tanguey;

-(March 6, 1999) from Ms. Ellen Eaton;

-(undated) from Mr. Fred Avery;

-(March 4, 1999) from Mr. Daniel Morin;

-(March 4, 1999) from Ms. Francine Tanguay;

-(March 3, 1999) from Ms. Mary Ann Grainger;

-(undated) from Ms. Anneke van Soeren;

-(March 8, 1999) from D. Reingold;

-(Undated) from Ms. James Mcallister;

-(March 22, 1999) from a number of residents of Simpson Avenue;

-(March 22, 1999) from Mr. Daniel Morin;

-(Undated) from Mr. Raymond Lam;

-(March 19, 1999) from Ms. Toba Bryant;

-(March 19, 1999) from Mr. Dennis Raphael;

-(Undated) from Mr. Bob Beerman;

-(March 16, 1999) from Mr. Rod Grigor;

-(March 20, 1999) from Mr. Jonathon Bakan;

-(March 19, 1999) from Ms. Seraphina Park;

-(March 4, 1999) from Mr. Jacques Farand;

-(March 18, 1999) from Mr. Ben Carniol, Professor, Ryerson Polytechnic University;

-(March 19, 1999) from Mr. Kurban Versi;

-(Undated) from Ms. Julia Greenbaum;

-(March 22, 1999) from Mr. Larence Chan;

-(March 21, 1999) from Ms. Phyllia Waugh;

-(Undated) from Mr. Les Mondich;

-(March 22, 1999) from Mr. Gilbert Ching, Manager, Bank of Nova Scotia;

-(Undated) from Ms. Linda Klan and Mr. Peter Coney;

-(February 16, 1999) from Ms. Francine Tanguay;

-(February 15, 1999) from Tom and Marlene Altosaar;

-(February 15, 1999) from Mr. Fred Avery;

-(January 26, 1999) from Ms. Brenda Cohen;

-(January 24, 1999) from Ms. Andrea Sorensen;

-(March 3, 1999) from Ms. Mary Ann Grainger;

-(January 24, 1999) from Mr. Svend Peterson;

-(March 8, 1999) from Mr. James Macallister;

-(March 22, 1999) from Mr. Curtis Fahey;

-(March 23, 1999) from Ms. Sandi Akins;

-(March 22, 1999) from Mr. Paul Young;

-(March 23, 1999) from Costa Ktami;

-(March 23, 1999) from Ms. Brenda Cohen;

-(Undated) from Councillor Pam McConnell, Don River;

-(March 24, 1999) from Mr. Kevan Staples and Ms. Marilyn Kiewiet;

-(March 19, 1999) from Mr. Martin Sherman;

-(March 21, 1999) from Ms. Susie Reading and Mr. Jeff Powis;

-(March 24, 1999) from Mr. John S. Rait;

-(March 24, 1999) from Mr. Jason Wong, Chinese Chamber of Commerce (East Toronto) Inc.;

-(March 17, 1999) from Katherine and Gregory McHarg; and

-(March 24, 1999) from Ms. Kadi Kaljuste.

The following persons appeared before the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

-Mr. Tom Altosaar, South Riverdale Community, and submitted a Petition signed by approximately 175 persons in opposition to the use of 126 Pape Avenue as a homeless shelter due to the excessive density of government assisted housing in South Riverdale, when compared to other neighbourhoods in the City of Toronto;

-Ms. Brenda Cohen;

-Mr. James Cywink, Mr. Brian Boyd and Mr. John Clarke, Provincial Organizer, Ontario Coalition Against Poverty;

-Ms. Mary Ann Grainger;

-Mr. Fred Avery;

-Mr. Svend Peterson;

-Mr. Matt Fahey, Friends of the Shelter, and submitted a brief signed by a number of residents in regard thereto;

-Ms. Margaret Eder (by video tape);

-Mr. Dwayne Willoughby;

-Ms. Sarah Pierson, and submitted a brief in regard thereto;

-Ms. Barbara Amsden, Boston Association of Residents for a Clean Quiet Street;

-Mr. Graham Prentice;

-Ms. Ellen Eaton, and submitted a brief in regard thereto;

-Ms. Cathy Crowe, Queen West Community Health Centre;

-Ms. Kira Heineck, Toronto Disaster Relief Committee, and submitted a brief in regard thereto; and a Petition signed by approximately 221 persons requesting that the Armouries be opened for the homeless;

-Ms. Kathy Hardill, Street Nurses Network;

-Ms. Louise Coutu, St. Vincent de Paul;

-Ms. Sherry Hayes, Director, Amelie House, and submitted a brief in regard thereto;

-Mr. Keith Denny, South Riverdale Community Health Centre;

-Ms. Sharon Purdy, and submitted a brief in regard thereto;

-Mr. Beric Germane, on behalf of Street Health;

-Ms. Rachel Singer, and submitted a brief in regard thereto;

-Ms. Linda Lalonde, and submitted briefs by Dina Dawkins, Rocchina Giurdanella, Renee Langford, Colleen F. and Miguela C., including a list of reasons why the shelter at 126 Pape Avenue should remain open, prepared by the residents;

-Mr. Isaac Morkel;

-Ms. Louise Singer, and submitted a brief in regard thereto;

-Ms. Judy H.;

-Ms. Michelle A., on behalf of Tina D.;

-Ms. Jordan M.;

-Mr. David Erland;

-Ms. Tara Cleveland, and submitted a brief in regard thereto;

-Mr. Bob Barnett;

-Mr. Gerald Whyte;

-Ms. Linda Briggs;

-Ms. Marie Klaassen;

-Mr. Chuck Edwards;

-Mr. Cliff Martin, The Public Housing Fightback Campaign;

-Mr. Fred Avery, and read a brief on behalf of Mr. Terry Vasyliw;

-Councillor Pam McConnell, Don River; and

-Councillor Jack Layton, Don River.