1677 Wilson Ave.

Wrap-Around Supports

1677 Wilson Ave. is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with wrap-around support for residents. All shelter programming is provided through a Housing-First lens, which prioritizes the search for housing. The hotel program encourages independent life skills while also providing options for shelter residents who may require continued support in order to exit the shelter.

Programming is developed in response to the needs of people residing at the shelter. Community partners that support physical and mental health needs of vulnerable persons continue to provide services to the residents on-site. This includes:

• Nursing, physicians and psychiatry – Inner City Health Associates (ICHA)
• On-site vaccination clinics and COVID-19 testing
• Harm reduction supports – through The Works, LAMP Community Health Centre
• Multi-Disciplinary Outreach Team (M-DOT) – mental health services

Services listed are only available to shelter residents.

Harm Reduction and Overdose Supports

Toronto is seeing a substantial rise in non-fatal and fatal opioid overdoses within the overall community, as well as within the shelter system.

In June 2021, TSSS, in partnership with The Works at Toronto Public Health (TPH) released an updated shelter directive and 10-point plan to provide expanded direction on overdose prevention in all City administered shelters and hotel sites. The directive requires all new or relocating shelters to complete a Harm Reduction and Overdose Preparedness Assessment to ensure that harm reduction policies and procedures are in place, harm reduction supplies and naloxone are available, and staff have been trained in harm reduction and overdose response.

The City and community agencies also continue to manage the Integrated Prevention and Harm Reduction Initiative, or iPHARE a multi-pronged effort to address opioid-related deaths in Toronto’s shelter system.

Community Safety

Community safety is a priority for the City. Staff delivering shelter services at 1677 Wilson Ave. bring management practices that have proven successful and all staff are trained in de-escalation, conflict resolution, and crisis prevention, intervention and case management.

There is a large team of trained staff supporting vulnerable shelter users. Shift supervisors are trained to address issues during their shifts and relay the information and needed follow-up to the senior management. Staff work closely with neighborhood police officers to address any issues or concerns.

The following safety measures are in place at 1677 Wilson Ave. to support the residents and community:

• • A community safety team (CST) of two has been present on the premises to:
    • establish healthy relations and lines of communications with shelter residents while assisting shelter staff when required to ensure that all residents comply with Toronto Shelter Standards.
    • help in response to drug paraphernalia collection, alerting of an overdose and other community issues or concerns.
    • respond to immediate non-police or non-EMS related matters and also patrol “hotspots” identified by the community.
    • Residents of the shelter assist with community clean-ups and picking up drug paraphernalia
  • Residents of the shelter assist with community clean-ups and picking up drug paraphernalia
  • On-site security teams stationed at each of the South and North Towers 24/7 and patrol at each entrance, hotel parking lot and each exit door
    • Patrols throughout the building are conducted every 30 minutes, checking stairways and emergency exists
    • Security also checks fire safety equipment to ensure it has not been vandalize

It is important also to remember that people using shelter services are equal residents of the city. They can move around communities and use amenities such as parks and public benches. And like all residents, shelter residents are also expected to conduct themselves according to the rules/laws and by-laws. Shelter residents attend regular shelter/program meetings where any issues with rights and responsibilities are routinely discussed.

Community Engagement

City staff have a strong relationship with stakeholders in the neighbourhood having been in this location since 2016.

Previous community engagement around 1677 Wilson Avenue has included:

• Development of Who to Call information sheet
• Participation in the Black Creek/ Humber Summit Community Cluster – Ward 6 and 7
• Social Service Development work group in collaboration with Councillor Perruzza’s office
• Community safety audit in collaboration with Councillor Perruzza’s office

In response to recent inquiries from members of the public, the City hired a community engagement team in Spring of 2022 who gathered input from the community. The community engagement plan included:

• reviewing and responding to feedback on key issues from the community
• providing project updates and outreach as required
• conducting virtual and/or in-person stakeholder meetings for representatives of local resident associations, businesses, institutions and community groups
• conducting a second Community Safety Walk, which took place in Spring 2022
• convening a Community Liaison committee which began in May 2022

If you have questions or immediate concerns, please take a look at the who to call information sheet for 1677 Wilson Avenue.

If you are witnessing or involved in an emergency, please call 911.

Community Clean-Ups

On April 21, 2022, over 30 staff and clients recognized the City’s annual Clean Toronto Together event by working together to pick up litter and recycling around the shelter and neighbouring community. The goal of the initiative was to support the environment as a means of maintaining and preserving the land, and instill a sense of pride and community in clients by inviting them to actively participate in the upkeep of their temporary home.

It was also a great opportunity to showcase the program’s dedication to preserving the safety and integrity of the community to surrounding neighbours. Below are some pictures from the community clean-up day.

The shelter program is dedicated to continuing these clean-up efforts with staff and clients on a monthly basis. This is in addition to the daily exterior sweeping, as well as the deeper cleanings that are completed by staff, as needed. If you know of community members who would be interested in participating in the monthly community clean-up days, please email TorontoPlazaShelter@toronto.ca.

Who to Call with Questions or Concerns

Toronto Shelter and Support Services:

• 24/7 Shift Leader: 416-392-4616
  • To request Community Safety Teams to patrol a certain area and/or collect drug paraphernalia
• Community engagement and community concerns: TorontoPlazaShelter@toronto.ca

Central Intake: 416-397-5637

• Telephone support to individuals seeking access to emergency shelter

For general inquiries related to homelessness:

• Email: Homeless.Support@toronto.ca

3-1-1

• To request help for individuals experiencing homelessness who are living outside and may need support
• Should also be used to report concerns regarding litter, illegal dumping, street and sidewalk sweeping, and broken or overflowing garbage bins

Toronto Police Services – 31 Division

• General Non-Emergency:416-808-2222
  • To report crimes where no person is in immediate danger (e.g. theft, vandalism, fraud)

Toronto Police Online Reporting:

• Residents can file an online report direct to Toronto Police for instances that include damage to property, damage to vehicles, graffiti, fraud and theft

Please see the who to call information sheet for 1677 Wilson Avenue for more details.