Toronto Housing Crisis

"My name is Chris, I've been sitting in the rain here for three hours." Chris has been living on the streets for two years since loosing his job after injuring his back. He worked as a furniture mover, but because his employment was "under the table," he is not eligible for workers compensation. Because of his back injury he is unable to find work and has to live on the streets and pan-handle to get by. "If I had any other option, I wouldn't be sitting in the rain at night in the winter."

S.T. (who asked me not to use his real name) has been on disabilities since he was 18 years old for his heart problems, weight problems and breathing problems. He uses an old respirator here to catch his breath after climbing the stairs to get to his small apartment. Because of his health problems, he is unable to find employment “I would love to get a job and everything else, but I am not capable because of the sickness in my body and people don’t understand that.” The small amount he does get from disabilities is just enough to cover the rent for his room, but after paying his rent he is left with just $250 a month to survive on. Most of this $250 has to cover his hydro bills and whatever is left goes to food, as a result he often has to turn to the streets to panhandle for enough money to put food in his fridge.

S.T. looks in his empty fridge. After paying his rent, there is very little left over to spend on food and other necessities. “How can a person survive on $250 a month with the cost of living in Toronto? And every year the rent goes up!” S.T. asks. “But I’m not the only one. There are hundreds of other people out there like me going through the same thing. I know a lot of people who get disability and have to pay high rent and do the same thing I’m doing. But I believe that if enough people speak out like I do, housing will definitely come down in price. Something just has to be done. There should be more low-income housing, the rent in Toronto shouldn’t be as high as it is; people like me don’t deserve this.”

A delegation of government housing tenants along with members of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) came together to attend the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) board of directors meeting. Their goal was for tenants to voice their complaints directly to the board of directors regarding the deplorable living conditions in government housing. They brought with them a compilation of about fifty reports on the conditions in different tenant’s homes.

Val is a tenant of the Toronto Community Housing. Val has lived in government housing for 19 years. Over this period, she says, conditions have steadily gotten worse and worse. This is Val's apartment, where she has baskets and carpets tacked onto the walls to hide the crumbling paint. She describes herself, with a dry sense of humour, as the curator of the 'Tack Art Gallery.'

This is Val's bedroom, where she has baskets and carpets tacked onto the walls to hide the crumbling paint. The whole building is in terrible condition, there are holes in the ceilings, plaster walls are crumbling, carpets are stained and moldy, garbage collects in the halls, and the building is infested with vermin. Val says she does not feel safe in the building as there have been a number of shootings and recently a woman was raped in the laundry room.

M.L (who asked me not to use her real name) is a tenant of the Toronto Community Housing. M.L. is well educated and has a professional background but is now disabled and has arthritis, she is in constant pain despite being on numerous medications and painkillers. As a result, she is unable to find employment and is now completely dependent on community housing for her survival. "As bad as it is here,” she says, “the only other option for me is the street - I’d die."

M.L.'s balcony is completely infested by Pigeons. It is completely covered with eggs, feathers, and feces. There are baby pigeons nesting there and countless eggs, both hatched and unhatched. The TCHC has told her to clean it up herself, but she not physically able to because of her health problems."I just want to be able to grow a little garden out there," she says holding back tears of frustration, "I've tried cleaning it up myself but I break down in pain every time and they just keep coming back! I don't know what to do."

Many of the tennants in this Toronto Community Housing building have taped up the cracks around their doorways to prevent mice and bugs from entering their apartments.

Barbara is another tenant of Toronto Community Housing. After growing up in Jamaica, where she was friends with Bob Marley, Barbara moved to Canada and started a promising career in early childhood development. But Barbara lost the job she loved when Mike Harris’ government cut funding for a wide range of social programs. Barbara managed to find a job working in a big chain grocery store where she injured her back lifting boxes. Because of this injury, and the resulting health problems, she is unable to find employment now and has had to move her entire life and all her belongings into this one room apartment. For years now she has been fighting with Toronto Community Housing to have her transferred to another apartment where she can actually fit all her belongings, but the waiting list for community housing in Toronto currently stands at an astonishing 70 000 and many people have been waiting for decades.

Nancy Baker at the Homeless Memorial at the Church of the Holy Trinity near the Eaton Centre. Here she sits in front of a sign that reminds us that that we best not forget that any one of us could find ourselves loosing control over our lives. Her boyfriend was one of the hundreds of people who have died on the streets of Toronto.

Members and supporters of the Women Against Poverty Coalition (WAPC) leave flowers just outside the entrance to the Yonge-Bloor subway station in the memory of 33-year-old Bly Markis. Bly was brutally beaten and killed nearby. Bly had worked as a massage therapist in California before moving back home to Toronto. Back in Toronto, she was unable to get the proper paperwork together to allow her to continue her profession. With mounting personal and professional problems, Bly found herself living on the streets where she eventually met her killer. Bly, affectionately known as "California," was well-known and well-liked in the community and was working hard to put her life back together.

Candles are lit in the memory of those who have died on the streets of Toronto.

About 20 to 30 people spent the night on the doorsteps of Toronto's City Hall in solidarity with the homeless men, women, and children across the city. Participants were demanding that the City make a clear plan to end the housing crisis in Toronto.

After being turned away by Police for trying to break into the abandoned building behind him, an anti-poverty activist shouts out to the crowd surrounding this abandoned building. Organised by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), housing activists attempted to enter abandoned buildings in Toronto in order to convert them into affordable housing to alleviate the growing housing problem in the city. They were met with resistance from dozens of Police officers who were under strict orders to defend these abandoned buildings, located in the wealthy High Park neighborhood.

These housing activists were were met with resistance from dozens of Police officers who were under strict orders to defend these abandoned properties located in the wealthy High Park neighborhood. Tempers flared on both sides and many of the participants accused the police of being overly aggressive. Some of the demonstrators pointed out the irony of the fact that their tax dollars were being used to pay police forces to "protect" these abandoned buildings, rather than on providing viable alternatives for poor people living on the streets.

after forcing anti-poverty activists away from this abandoned building, police officers stand guard to keep the activists away.

after being forced away from the abandoned buildings by police the anti-poverty activists marched to Mayor David Miller's residence nearby. Here, they are gathered on Miller's doorstep shouting angrily about the Mayor's lack of interest in alleviating the growing housing problems in Toronto.

The Women Against Poverty Collective (WAPC) organized a housing takeover of an abandoned building in downtown Toronto. WAPC is a group of women and trans people who are working together to advocate for safe, affordable and accessible housing for women experiencing violence. A small group of women broke into the building before demonstrations began, and before police could find out which building would be targeted. Police surrounded the building with the women inside. “We’ve learned through history that sometimes we don’t get anything unless we struggle and demand to get it,” says Anna Willats of WAPC, "(today) we will create our own housing. Housing that is controlled by us, for us, that is safe and accessible.” Willats explains that the building being taken over is one of hundreds of buildings in downtown Toronto that have been sitting empty and unused for years.

With the police surrounding the four women inside, demonstrators gathered outside the building, surrounding the police, in solidarity with the women inside. Demonstrators set up tents in front of the house and in the park across the street prepared to camp out there as long as it took for the police to back down and allow the women to begin setting up the building as a safe house for disadvantaged women and trans people.

As the tension mounted down below, Jenn Plyler, one of the women inside the building, led the chants "Housing for women by women now! Housing for women by women now!"

Later in the evening, waiting for the rain to come pouring down (making it very difficult to document), the police decided to make their move. They surrounded the demonstrators, trampled over the tents, and began forcing the demonstrators back away from the building. During the scuffle, one officer can be seen here attempting to restrain a colleague who is getting overly aggressive.

Despite the surprise move by the police, demonstrators refused to back down, linking arms and responding to the police with songs and chants. After the initial struggle, rows of police and demonstrators squared off in the middle of the street staring each other down, waiting for someone to make the next move.

As the rain continued to pour down, rows of police and demonstrators squared off in the middle of the street. Both sides can be seen here taunting one another.

With over 500 homeless people dying on the streets of Toronto since 1989, housing activists accross the city are calling on the City of Toronto to make use of the hundreds of abandoned buildings scattered accross the city so they can be converted into safe and affordable housing for the poor.

With over 500 homeless people dying on the streets of Toronto since 1989, housing activists accross the city are calling on the City of Toronto to make use of the hundreds of abandoned buildings scattered across the city so they can be converted into safe and affordable housing for the poor.

After being thrown away by Police for trying to break into the abandoned building behind him, a housing activist shouts out to the crowd surrounding this abandoned building. Organized by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), housing activists attempted to enter abandoned buildings in the wealthy High Park neighborhood in order to convert them into affordable housing to alleviate the growing housing crisis in the city.

These housing activists were were met with resistance from dozens of Police officers who were under strict orders to defend these abandoned properties located in the wealthy High Park neighborhood. Tempers flared on both sides and many of the participants accused the police of being overly aggressive.

After forcing the activists away from this abandoned building, police officers stand guard to keep them away. Some of the demonstrators pointed out the irony of the fact that their tax dollars were being used to pay police forces to "protect" these abandoned buildings, rather than on providing viable alternatives for poor people living on the streets.

After being forced away from the abandoned buildings by police the housing activists marched to Mayor David Miller's residence nearby. Here, they are gathered on Miller's doorstep shouting angrily about the Mayor's lack of interest in alleviating the growing housing problems in Toronto. Since David Miller came to power in 2003, the City’s welfare reserve fund has shrunk from $94.4 million to $8 million .

The Women Against Poverty Collective (WAPC) organised a housing takeover of an abandoned building in downtown Toronto. WAPC is a group of women and trans people who are working together to advocate for safe, affordable and accessible housing for women experiencing violence.

A small group of women broke into the building before demonstrations began, and before police could find out which building would be targeted. Police surrounded the building with the women inside. “We’ve learned through history that sometimes we don’t get anything unless we struggle and demand to get it,” says Anna Willats of WAPC, "(today) we will create our own housing. Housing that is controlled by us, for us, that is safe and accessible.” Willats explains that the building being taken over is one of hundreds of buildings in downtown Toronto that have been sitting empty and unused for years.

With the police surrounding the four women inside, demonstrators gathered outside the building, surrounding the police, in solidarity with the women inside. Demonstrators set up tents in front of the house and in the park across the street prepared to camp out there as long as it took for the police to back down and allow the women to begin setting up the building as a safe house for disadvantaged women and trans people.

As the tension mounted down below, Jennifer Plyler, one of the women inside the building, led the chants "Housing for women by women now! Housing for women by women now!"

Later in the evening, waiting for the rain to come pouring down (making it very difficult to document), the police decided to make their move. They surrounded the demonstrators, trampled over the tents, and began forcing the demonstrators back away from the building.

During the scuffle, one officer can be seen here attempting to restrain a colleague from getting overly aggressive.

Despite the surprise move by the police, demonstrators refused to back down, linking arms and responding with songs and chants. After the initial struggle, rows of police and demonstrators squared off in the middle of the street staring each other down, waiting for someone to make the next move.

As the rain continued to pour down, rows of police and demonstrators squared off in the middle of the street. Both sides can be seen here taunting one another.

After a long standoff, the police eventually lost their patience as it became obvious the housing activists were determined to stand their ground to protect the four women inside the building. Several officers on horseback moved in from the side creating a panic among the demonstrators who fled in terror from the intimidating charge. Some of people were trampled amid the chaos and are now pressing charges against the Toronto Police Department.

Having successfully forced the crowd away from the abandoned building the police line up to block the street. The four women in the building were arrested and eventually released.

A closer look at the photo above. This looks like the same officer (on the left) who needed to be restrained by a colleague moments earlier (see photo above) still mouthing off after the crowd had been chased away. More of his fellow officers appear concerned by his behavior.

Nancy Baker at the Homeless Memorial at the Church of the Holy Trinity near the Eaton Centre. Here she sits in front of a sign that reminds us that that we best not forget that any one of us could find ourselves loosing control over our lives. Her boyfriend was one of the hundreds of people who have died on the streets of Toronto.

Members and supporters of the Women Against Poverty Coalition (WAPC) leave flowers just outside the entrance to the Yonge-Bloor subway station in the memory of 33-year-old Bly Markis. Bly was brutally beaten and killed nearby. Bly had worked as a massage therapist in California before moving back home to Toronto. Back in Toronto, she was unable to get the proper paperwork together to allow her to continue her profession. With mounting personal and professional problems, Bly found herself living on the streets where she eventually met her killer. Bly, affectionately known as "California," was well-known and well-liked in the community and was working hard to put her life back together.

Candles are lit in the memory of those who have died on the streets of Toronto.

About 20 to 30 people spent the night on the doorsteps of Toronto's City Hall in solidarity with the homeless men, women, and children across the city. Participants were demanding that the City make a clear plan to end the housing crisis in Toronto.

A delegation of government housing tenants along with members of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) came together to attend the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) board of directors meeting. Their goal was for tenants to voice their complaints directly to the board of directors regarding the deplorable living conditions in government housing. They brought with them a compilation of about fifty reports on the conditions in different tenant’s homes.

Val is a tenant of Toronto Community Housing. Val has lived in government housing for 19 years. Over this period, she says, conditions have steadily gotten worse and worse. This is Val's apartment, where she has baskets and carpets tacked onto the walls to hide the holes and cracks. She describes herself, with a dry sense of humour, as the curator of the 'Tack Art Gallery.'

This is Val's bedroom, where she has a large carpet tacked up to hide the crumbling walls.

The whole building is in terrible condition, there are holes in the ceilings, plaster walls are crumbling, carpets are stained and mouldy, garbage collects in the halls, and the building is infested with vermin. The building is not safe, there have been a number of shootings and recently a woman was raped in the laundry room

M.L (who asked me not to use her real name) is a tenant of the Toronto Community Housing. M.L. is well educated and has a professional background but is now disabled and has arthritis, she is in constant pain despite being on numerous medications and painkillers. As a result, she is unable to find employment and is now completely dependent on community housing for her survival. "As bad as it is here,” she says, “the only other option for me is the street - I’d die."

M.L.'s balcony is completely infested with Pigeons. It is completely covered with feces. There are baby pigeons nesting there and countless eggs, both hatched and unhatched. The TCHC has told her to clean it up herself, but she is not physically able to because of her health problems.

Many of the tenants in this Toronto Community Housing building have taped up the cracks around their doorways to prevent mice and bugs from entering their apartments.

Garbage collects in the halls of this Toronto Community Housing building.

Barbara is another tenant of Toronto Community Housing. After growing up in Jamaica, where she was friends with Bob Marley, Barbara moved to Canada and started a promising career in early childhood development. But Barbara lost the job she loved when Mike Harris’ government cut funding for a wide range of social programs. Barbara managed to find a job working in a big chain grocery store where she injured her back lifting boxes. Because of this injury, and the resulting health problems, she is unable to find employment now and has had to move her entire life and all her belongings into this tiny one room apartment. For years now she has been engaged in ongoing legal battles with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) to secure the injured workers compensation she is entitled to, she was recently given her first official hearing many years after the injury first happened. Barbara has also been fighting with Toronto Community Housing to have her transferred to another apartment where she can actually fit all her belongings, but the waiting list for community housing in Toronto currently stands at an astonishing 70 000 and many people have been waiting for decades.

When the delegation of government housing tenants came together to attend the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) board of directors meeting, their goal was for tenants to voice their complaints directly to the board of directors regarding the deplorable living conditions in government housing. They brought with them a compilation of about fifty reports on the conditions in different tenant’s homes. However, when they arrived at the TCHC building, they were refused access to the board of directors meeting. Board members also refused to come out to meet with the tenants to hear what they had to say. Instead of listening to what their own tenants had to say, the TCHC had several police officers, wearing bullet-proof vests, surround the building to keep people out. After the group refused to disperse the TCHC eventually agreed to send out a spokeswoman to accept the reports compiled by the angry tenants.

"My name is Chris, I've been sitting in the rain here for three hours." Chris has been living on the streets for two years since loosing his job after injuring his back. He worked as a furniture mover, but because his job was "under the table," he is not eligible for workers compensation. Because of his back injury he is unable to find employment and has to live on the streets and pan-handle to get by. "If I had any other option, I wouldn't be sitting in the rain at night in the winter."

S.T. (who asked me not to use his real name) has been on disabilities since he was 18 years old for his heart problems, weight problems and breathing problems. He uses an old respirator here to catch his breath after climbing the stairs to get to his small apartment. Because of his health problems, he is unable to find employment “I would love to get a job and everything else, but I am not capable because of the sickness in my body and people don’t understand that.” The small amount he does get from disabilities is just enough to cover the rent for his room, but after paying his rent he is left with just $250 a month to survive on. Most of this $250 has to cover his hydro bills and whatever is left goes to food, as a result he often has to turn to the streets to panhandle for enough money to put food in his fridge. “How can a person survive on $250 a month with the cost of living in Toronto? And every year the rent goes up!” S.T. asks. “But I’m not the only one. There are hundreds of other people out there like me going through the same thing. I know a lot of people who get disability and have to pay high rent and do the same thing I’m doing. But I believe that if enough people speak out like I do, housing will definitely come down in price. Something just has to be done. There should be more low-income housing, the rent in Toronto shouldn’t be as high as it is; people like me don’t deserve this.”

S.T. looks in his empty fridge. After paying his rent, there is very little left over to spend on food and other necessities. As a result, S.T. often has to swallow his pride and pan-handle on the streets.