As calls from Ontario towns and cities grow louder for an urgent and coordinated plan to tackle homelessness encampments, Premier Doug Ford is toughening his rhetoric on the issue and hinting solutions could come through the courts, even as his attorney general admits a legal fight over the issue would be complicated.
The number of encampments in downtowns large and small across the province has grown in recent years, with mayors demanding solutions. Local leaders have asked the government to consider funds for more housing, mental health treatments and even legislative changes to force people in mental health crises to seek treatment.
Municipalities have found they have few tools to effectively remove tents and temporary homes set by people experiencing homelessness, and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario believes a total of 1,400 encampments were reported across Ontario in 2023.
The municipal association has been asking for the government to come …