Justice Laws provides online access to official copies of Canada’s statutes and regulations.
e-Laws provides online access to official copies of Ontario’s statutes and regulations.
The Toronto Municipal Code is a compilation of by-laws organized by subject (e.g., animals, smoking, property standards, fences).
The Child, Youth and Family Services Act (CYFSA) recognizes that each of us has a responsibility for the welfare of children and a duty to report.
The Toronto Housing Charter is a key component of the Housing Opportunities Toronto HOT Action Plan 2010-2020, adopted by City Council August 5, 2009.
The Charter is designed to guide Council and staff in their efforts to assist those who often face challenges finding affordable housing, from newcomers and single parents to seniors and those with disabilities.HOT contains 67 recommended actions to be undertaken by the City of Toronto and the federal and provincial governments. It calls for new investment of $484 million annually for the next 10 years to help 257,700 households struggling with high housing costs or inadequate accommodation.HOT will serve as a road map to guide federal and provincial investments, as well as public and private sector activity.
The Housing Stability Service Planning Framework for Toronto Shelter and Support Services (formerly Shelter, Support and Housing Administration) was unanimously approved by Toronto City Council in December 2013.
Learn about Canada’s food guides and find tools and resources (including translated versions and versions tailored for Indigenous communities) to help support healthy food choices.
Each province has its own provincial health acts and regulations. In Ontario, the Health Protection and Promotion Act, 1990 (HPPA) lays out the mandate to make regulations, programs and protocols which govern food premises. All health units/departments are responsible for the conditions and safety under which food is held, prepared and served to the public. This is also the responsibility of the food premises owner/operator and employees.
Read more about the Food Safety: A Guide for Ontario’s Food Handlers.
The Infection Prevention and Control Guide for Homelessness Service Settings provides information and recommendations for homelessness service providers and workers on infection prevention and control (IPAC). IPAC is the use of evidence-based practices that when applied consistently, can reduce the risk of the spread of germs. Toronto Public Health has posted this document along with several supporting resources for the benefit of any homelessness service setting, like 24-Hour Respite Sites, drop-ins, etc.
It is important for homelessness service providers to understand TB. Homelessness service settings can often increase the chances of spreading TB. Read:
Bed bugs are a pest and are common in transient populations. Bed bugs are found in hotels, motels, apartment buildings, rooming houses, dormitories and shelters. Read the full Bed bugs handbook for shelter operators.
The Works Harm Reduction Program at Toronto Public Health (TPH) developed the Guidance Document for Harm Reduction in Shelter and Hotel Sites: A 10-Point Plan to support shelter programs, including hotel sites, by providing a blueprint for the design and implementation of successful hotel and shelter based harm reduction programs in the context of the ongoing response to COVID-19 pandemic. The plan is aligned with Toronto Shelter and Support Services’ Harm Reduction Framework.
The 10-Point Plan was developed based on evidence, recommendations and practice emerging from:
TPH provides a variety of programs and services to reduce drug-related harm for people who use drugs, including preventing the spread of communicable diseases. Read the list of services provided by the The Works Harm Reduction Program.
The following list of resources is intended to support homelessness service providers in the implementation of the 10-Point Plan. New resources and supports will be added. The list includes resources aligned with specific components of the 10-Point Plan, harm reduction and overdose prevention training resources and links to background information and research on harm reduction.
While we aim to provide fully accessible content, there is no text alternative available for some of the content on this site. If you require alternate formats or need assistance understanding our maps, drawings, or any other content, please contact us at 416-392-0929 or Karen.Tizzard@toronto.ca.
Harm Reduction and Overdose Preparedness Site Assessment Tool (Toronto Shelter-Hotel Overdose Action Task Force) – tool to accompany facilitated site assessment process.
To schedule an assessment contact theworks@toronto.ca
The following harm reduction policy templates and guidance documents have been created to provide shelter providers with examples and resources to inform the critical elements that should be included in their policies and procedures. This will ensure that a harm reduction lens and approach is applied to all aspects of client care and service delivery across the homelessness sector.
Download and print these materials to use at your site
Promote these overdose prevention programs for clients at your site
Guidance and Tips for Client Wellness Assessments in Homeless Service Settings: A resource to support staff working at a SSHA-funded Shelter, Hotel or Respite Site to monitor client wellness using a harm reduction, trauma informed approach
Resources to support review and development of your site harm reduction policies and programs
Resources to support engagement with people with lived experience in harm reduction planning, design and work
Information on the establishing safe, supervised consumption services
Information on where to access harm reduction supplies, including the onboarding process with The Works to become a harm reduction partner (i.e. for harm reduction supplies and naloxone to distribute to clients)
A death of a shelter resident is considered reportable to Toronto Shelter and Support Services. Learn how to properly document and report an incident by reading the Reporting the Death of a Shelter Resident Guidebook.
SMIS related resources are designed to assist SMIS users. SMIS eliminates time-consuming manual tasks and paper forms, streamlining certain administrative functions of homelessness service providers and improving client services.
Records containing personal information may be disclosed to police officers or other law enforcement agents under Section 32 (g) of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA).
City staff must follow the steps outlined in this document when completing the Law Enforcement Request for Personal Information Form. The form is used to provide access to records containing personal information to law enforcement agencies, while still protecting the rights of our clients
The Shelter Design and Technical Guidelines provides recommendations for best practices in the design, build or renovation of shelters in Toronto. Updated in 2023, the Guidelines span a broad range of areas from design principles to functional components of the building, environmental design, and material and finishes.
The Environmental Control Best Practices helps homelessness service providers in Toronto implement the means to proactively reduce TB transmission risk by the use of environmental control measures.
The Housekeeping Manual for Municipally Operated Shelters provides guidelines regarding the provision of housekeeping services in MOS with the objective of ensuring a clean, safe and healthy environment for staff, clients and the public. It is also intended to help MOS meet requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Toronto Shelter Standards.
Toronto Public Health has posted this document along with several supporting resources, which contain specific guidance around cleaning and disinfection for the benefit of any homelessness service setting, like 24-Hour Respite Sites, drop-ins, etc.
Bed bugs are a pest and are common in transient populations. Bed bugs are found in hotels, motels, apartment buildings, rooming houses, dormitories and shelters. Read the full Bed bugs handbook for shelter operators.
This information sheet explains the use of police reference checks (PRC) as part of the hiring process for the City’s Toronto Shelter and Support Services division. City Council authorized the use of a PRC as an assessment tool when hiring people or placing volunteers/students to work directly with homeless individuals and families.