Warmer weather brings concerns of encampment growth in Allan Gardens

Krishika Jethani –

 Residents living near Allan Gar­dens are concerned that more encampment tents will appear as warm weather approaches. Between March 8 and March 15, the number of tents rose from six to 10, marking the first increase since November. Al­though the number of tents re­corded on March 22 has since fallen to four, according to the Ward 13 Encampment Dash­board.

Allan Gardens was once To­ronto’s largest encampment. In June 2023, about 90 tents were counted, with around 60 people living in the park.

John Rider, a resident nearby, says he is left unable to use the park space.

“We’re really concerned in the neighbourhood because it’s been two years. Is it going to be three years, five years, 10 years? How long [is the city] going to let this be an encampment in­stead of a park?”

Residents Christina R. and Alan M. see a loss of green space and don’t want a repeat from last summer when tents in­undated the park.

“People would have used [the space] for picnics, family gath­erings, sports…they would have sat on the park benches and read, but that space is gone,” said Alan.

However, Angie Hocking, a member of the Toronto Under­housed and Homeless Union, says people in tents are also res­idents and the city has to prior­itize those at extreme risk.

“Nobody wants to be outside, and this is not the ideal situa­tion for anyone. But at the same time, the city needs to do things like extend all hotel leases,” she said.

Councilor Chris Moise said people were quickly housed or sent to the shelter space at 139 Peter Street after the mid-March increase. The park currently has 24-hour security, and housing workers help redirect people to an intake centre.

“Throughout the summer, my team and I will continue to keep an eye on the park to make sure that it remains tent-free… as a city government we have worked hard to open not only warming centres in the winter but we are working hard to have cooling centres in the summer.”

“I want the city to find proper housing for these people. I want [the city] to move them out of the park, clean all tents out and make it available to all members of the public again,” said Rider.

A spokesperson for the city of Toronto says an encampment prevention plan is in effect at Allan Gardens. Any individual who arrives at the site is “pro­actively” offered indoor space, she said.

“We have a team monitoring the park and working individu­ally to make sure that anybody who is offered [housing] doesn’t need to set up a tent,” she said.

Alan adds that housing unaf­fordability means immigrants entering the country may add to the number of people living in tents.

“The federal government has opened its doors for immigra­tion, but they’ve done so with­out a holistic strategy as to how they’re going to support these people…They are lacking and underfunded for the level of im­migration,” he said.

Hocking, a resident herself of the Downtown East, is critical of the city’s approach at Allan Gardens.

“I’m not saying I don’t sym­pathize and understand, but the reality is, where else can people go? … [Homeless] people can’t exist anymore, they’re constant­ly being punted and ruined,” she said.

Councillor Moise says the city is trying to increase the housing stock not only downtown, but across Toronto.

“We’re hoping the invest­ments we’ve made in the budget around housing will help ad­dress some of the stresses we’ve seen in the city when it comes to people wanting to find some­where to stay,” he said.