Downtown East Action Plan

History

In 2018, City Council approved an Enhanced 12-month Immediate Action Plan for the Downtown East, which included 36 action items  and directed City staff to develop a longer-term five-year plan.

City staff engaged in broad consultations with the community to understand service needs and priorities and identify gaps. Consultations included community agencies, Business Improvement Areas, and local resident associations, with a focus on people with lived experience of homelessness and those who access services in the area. Read the Summary of Key Consultations in the Downtown East .

In July 2019, the Downtown East Five-year Action Plan was adopted by City Council. The Plan outlined a set of activities and actions under the four central outcomes to coordinate City services and response. Read the Downtown East 2023 Action Plan Summary .

A report on the Downtown East Action Plan – Implementation Progress was adopted by City Council in July 2022.

The 2025-2030 Downtown East Action Plan  was adopted by City Council in July 2024, including the July 2022 – December 2023 Action Plan Progress Update.

Progress Highlights

Read the full Downtown East Action Plan 2022 Progress Update, and 2023 Progress Update  or view the highlights below:

• Enhanced outreach and de-escalation teams to support community safety including Here To Help, Crisis Outreach and Support Teams (COAST), and the the Harm Reduction Community Care Project, providing clean up of  harm reduction supplies.
• In 2024, Here to Help supported 1,465 clients, responded to 756 crisis calls, conducted 6,498 crisis intervention visits, served 1,280 meals, reversed 16 overdoses, and partnered with 36 businesses for regular check-ins.
• In 2024, COAST provided intensive case management to over 181 individuals, supporting stability and self-identified goals through court support, housing connections, crisis intervention, and referrals to essential health and social services.
• In 2024, the Harm Reduction Community Care Project collected approximately 10,000 discarded harm reduction supplies and created employment opportunities for people with lived and living experience.
• Enhanced cleaning service levels by Solid Waste Management Services and Transportation Services, in areas including Victoria Street, Dundas/Sherbourne, and Queen/Sherbourne to improve cleanliness..
• The continuation of the FOCUS Downtown East Situation Table through FOCUS Toronto – a community safety and wellbeing initiative co-led by the City of Toronto, United Way Greater Toronto and Toronto Police Service.
• Continued connection with residents, resident associations, BIAs and other community partners to support access to information and training
• The Toronto Downtown East Justice Centre transitioned from a traditional courtroom to connecting high needs individuals with support services to lower further involvement in the criminal justice system
• The development of a Downtown East Housing Strategy to increase diverse and affordable housing options
• An annual $150,000 investment since 2020 to the Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area’s Community Engagement Team to support vulnerable individuals and de-escalate situations in the area.
• Partnered with community agencies to offer over 20 free trauma-informed training sessions and equipped more than 1,200 frontline staff to support marginalized individuals.
• A two-year grant of $1 million (total) to support community agencies and resident groups in activating projects that align with the Action Plan central outcomes.
• Intervention pilots launched with funding of $1.1 million to provide intensive support to people experiencing marginalization and support communities with alternative responses to issues.
• Established effective cross-sectoral communication and collaboration mechanisms, such as the Downtown East Action Plan Leadership Table and the Yonge Dundas Safety Network to coordinate outreach and responses to emerging issues in the area.
• In 2022, with funding from the City, federal, and provincial governments, Margaret’s Housing and Community Support Services transformed 17-19 Winchester Street into 35 new apartments with on-site support for women experiencing homelessness.
• In 2022, a supportive housing project at 292-296 Parliament Street opened, providing 24 affordable rental homes and on-site support for families and individuals  at risk of homelessness.
• In December 2023, the Downtown East Lived Experience Advisory Group was launched to ensure ongoing engagement and use firsthand lived and living experiences to improve service planning and evaluation.

Downtown East Action Plan Initiatives

Downtown East Action Plan Initiatives

Initiative	Service	Contact
Community Outreach And Support Team (COAST)	De-escalation and crisis intervention in response to community concerns COAST provides oversight of a specialized outreach and case management team to respond to victimization and supports for justice-involved individuals referred to the Downtown East Justice Centre.	Phone 416-364-2261 Ex. 2226 or 437-335-5916 Hours Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Harm Reduction Community Care Project	Collection and disposal of discarded harm reduction supplies, including needles and other sharps, employment opportunities for people with lived and living experience. Partners: PASAN Dixon Hall Neighbourhood Services Street Health Toronto Regent Park Community Health Centre	For pick-up requests contact Prisoners with HIV/ AIDS Support Action Network (PASAN) Phone 647-446-9560 or 416-920-9567 Ex. 243 Email communitycare@pasan.org Response time is 24 to 48 hours Hours Monday to Friday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Here to Help (H2H)	Mobile conflict reduction and crisis intervention in response to community concerns. Partners: Gerstein Crisis Centre Inner City Family Health Team Homes First Seeds of Hope Dixon Hall Neighbourhood Services Service Area: Church Wellesley Corridor (East side of Yonge to West side of Jarvis to Bloor to Carlton) Moss Park (East of Parliament to West of Jarvis to Carlton to Queen St. E)	Phone 416-929-4200 Hours Tuesday to Saturday, 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

 

Community Planning Networks

Partnerships and collaboration tables in the Downtown East can help to address challenges, share information and resources, and resolve issues.

Name	Description
Downtown East Leadership Table	City Divisions and Community Partners including Downtown Yonge BIA, Toronto Police Services, Toronto Metropolitan University, Ministry of the Attorney General (Justice Centres) Oversight and collaboration on responses to chronic issues.
Yonge Dundas Safety Network	City divisions and local community and business partners such as the Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area, Coordination of responses and services in response to local issues
Downtown East Justice Centre	DTE Justice Centre is a hybrid justice-and-health-centre that seeks to prevent the most complex and high-needs clients at the intersection of poverty, homelessness, mental health, substance use and social isolation from repeatedly cycling through the justice system with on-site psychiatric, primary care, and developmental disability supports.
Downtown East Ontario Health Team	Partnerships with the City of Toronto, United Way Toronto and Toronto Police Service. Coordinated response to high-risk situations through supports for vulnerable residents.
Furthering Our Community by Uniting Services (FOCUS) Toronto	Partnerships with the City of Toronto, United Way Toronto and Toronto Police Service. Coordinated response to high-risk situations through supports for vulnerable residents.
Community Coordination Plan	Coordination of 45 community-based organizations in the Downtown East.
People With Lived Experience Advisory	People who live, work or access services in the Downtown East advise on actions of phase two of the Downtown East Action Plan.
SafeTO BIA	SafeTO BIA is a partnership between The City of Toronto’s 10 year Community Safety and Wellbeing Strategy, SafeTO and The Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area (DYBIA).