Written by Mahhik Butt
With Toronto being home to an estimated amount of 10,000 homeless people, it is Canada's city with the largest homeless population. That number is only expected to rise, especially after the pandemic surfaced. When COVID-19 officially hit Toronto in the beginning of March, many underestimated how fast the virus could spread. But now that there have been over 20,000,000 cases worldwide resulting in 100,000+ deaths, the world has completely locked down. Many stores, institutions and schools were forced to close to curb the spread of coronavirus causing severe rates of unemployment in Canada which left workers to rely solely on employment insurance or benefits by the Government of Canada.
Now here is the issue, some do not qualify for the benefits, but may still need the support. There are some cases, where people may have worked just under the required amount to receive support, leaving them helpless. The government has taken steps to prevent homelessness by making it increasingly more difficult to evict tenants during this time. Additionally, mortgagees have allowed mortgagors to defer payments for 4-6 months to help individuals and families across Toronto. This is done to allow people to focus on buying essentials and paying important bills with the $2,000 Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and the $1,200 Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) benefit per month. Furthermore, many phone service providers, utilities and banks have created flexible payment plans to support those in a financially difficult time. In the end although there is a lot of support available, it is just not enough for those living in Toronto- one of the most expensive cities in the world.
Minority groups including: the working class and the homeless, have been gravely affected by the coronavirus. Essential workers which does not only include doctors and nurses, but also janitors, city workers, delivery workers and cashiers who are just as important must continue working to keep the city running and to make ends meet; despite the crippling fear of contracting the virus and spreading it to older and/or immunocompromised family members.
The homeless are more susceptible to contract the virus due to the lack of cleaning supplies and hygiene products consequently promoting the spread of COVID-19. Additionally, congregating in small homeless shelters can increase the transmission of the virus. That is why homeless shelters have changed their operation by implementing diligent screening and sanitization upon intake and when accepting donations of all kinds. As recommended by Toronto Public Health, shelters including Red Door Family Shelter “have reduced social contact, have adapted outreach services and suspended their volunteer program”. When interviewed, the Red Door Family Shelter reiterated, “We are currently serving families at our two shelters, as well as outreach clients, and we remain committed to their health and well-being throughout this time of uncertainty”.
Apart from extra screening, staggering meal times and reducing the maximum capacity of homeless shelters by spreading beds 1 metre further apart, the City of Toronto has invested $6.1 million dollars into the 75 shelters across Toronto and has opened up 30 temporary facilities. They accommodate up to 7,000 homeless individuals and those self-isolating. Homeless shelters like Fred Victor have adapted their critical services to adhere to the guidelines enforced. Despite the challenges, they still serve meals to over 500 people a day. In addition, Fred Victor’s frontline workers check-in with clients over the phone, deliver groceries to those with underlying mental illnesses, educate others on how to mitigate the spread of coronavirus and facilitate conference calls which is essential in an isolating time.
Fred Victor’s Mental Health Case Management team delivering groceries to tenants in the pandemic.
During an interview Fred Victor’s Communications Manager, Howard Sato mandated: “Fred Victor remains deeply committed to providing housing, shelter, and support for people who are homeless – and will continue to do so as best, and as safely, as we can”.
Along with the trauma that comes with homelessness, COVID-19 has added another layer of stress. Many homeless individuals and families have experienced different forms of trauma with physical distancing measures and certain programs suspended, opportunities for social interaction like therapy & support have been significantly limited. For many homeless individuals, staying at shelters was the only way to feel a sense of community. This is why it is essential to support your local shelters.
Due to the virus, there is an increased demand for support and resources. When asked, United Way stated, “Social service organizations in Canada have seen a 42% increase in demand for their services and a 39% decrease in organizational capacity to meet demand for services”.
There is a lot that Torotonians can do to help others. Not just the homeless, but many working class families struggle to buy food. The Red Door Family Shelter noted that “The majority of the families we assist to move back into the community are still at high risk of being homeless, because moving into private market housing means they will most likely be spending more than 50% of their income on rent, leaving very little money left for all the other household expenses, such as food”.
From shelter to shelter, what is in demand is unique. Before making donations to your local shelter, call in advance or look at their website to see what is needed. Letting staff and volunteers know you are donating in advance can help them prepare for the donation by taking certain safety precautions to ensure they are following guidelines. Additionally, try to donate, during off-peak times throughout the day.
Some common non-monetary donations include:
Toiletries
Hygiene products
Unopened children's activities
Personal protective equipment ie. hand sanitizer, disposable masks, cloth masks, gloves etc.
Non-perishable food
Fred Victor’s meal program at 40 Oak St. offers meals to individuals and families in Regent Park experiencing financial constraints during the virus.
Notably, “Most of the people we [Fred Victor] serve are appreciative of the support they are receiving during these unprecedented times. We have also seen a groundswell of support from the general public. Individuals and organizations have donated money, PPE, food”.
The pandemic has prevented shelters from organizing annual fundraisers and events to raise money, forcing shelters to rely on donors. For those capable of making a monetary donation, several shelters offer monthly giving plans. Generous donations allow shelters to buy exactly what is needed instantly.
Apart from donating non-monetary or monetary donations there is always something that individuals can do to support the homeless. Whether you are 10 or 50 years old, wealthy or poor; you can make change. It may be writing a letter, smiling, making masks, hosting a fundraiser or even raising awareness on the severity of homelessness in Toronto to implement long term solutions for homelessness.
There are many false preconceived ideas and stereotypes about the homeless population that need to be set aside especially during this time. Some may believe that Toronto is a well developed city and that the government provides welfare for everyone. But the truth is, prior to COVID-19, Toronto was in a homelessness crisis and the situation is only getting worse. Unknown to many, according to the City of Toronto there are over 100,000 households on the subsidized housing waitlist. Many people live life with so much uncertainty and have no idea of where their next meal will come from.
Stereotypes like “all homeless people are drug addicts, lazy, violent or criminals” stop people from donating. It is important to note that these stereotypes are not applicable to all homeless people. There are many homeless individuals who are facing barriers due to circumstances beyond their control. The issues they face are far more complex. Every homeless person has their own story with their own battles through systemic racism, underlying medical conditions or from a lack of resources and tools. In the end, everyone can use another opportunity to succeed.
No one has the exact answer of when things will get better; whether there will be economic effects months or even years from now. But until then, Torontonians must stand united to help those struggling. It is a difficult time for all and many people are unemployed, but Toronto must not forget its homeless population in such a worrisome time.
Here are the distinguished organizations mentioned you can support that have many great sources:
About the Author
Mahhik Butt is a grade 12 IB student at Monarch Park Collegiate Institute, Toronto, Canada. She loves to have fun, try new things and make others smile. She is very passionate about social justice and truly believe oftentimes people neglect the pain and suffering within the world or even within their own country. She thinks it’s so important for everyone, including youth to know that
there is always something that can be done to combat
these issues. She is beyond excited to create content
and shed light on these serious issues.