Toronto to take human-rights-based approach in dealing with homeless encampments

The City of Toronto is proposing a new approach to dealing with homeless encampments in parks, saying it will emphasize human-rights-based supports and use forced clearings only as a last resort.Last year, a report from Toronto’s ombudsman criticized the city for “significant unfairness” in its 2021 direction to clear encampments in downtown parks. This week’s proposal represents the city’s response in the form of a set of guidelines that would make clear that encampments will only be cleared as a last resort, and only when certain conditions are met.