Toronto needs an thorough review of the capacity and adequacy of the city’s homeless shelters and services, according to a submission from the Wellesley Institute to today’s Toronto City Council Community Development and Recreation Committee meeting. “Good public policy and effective practices are based on solid evidence and analysis,” notes the Wellesley Institute. “Toronto urgently requires a better evidence base to continue to improve its homeless services.” The Wellesley Institute is calling for an independent review process that would collect evidence on shelter occupancy levels and service utilization, engage people who have experienced homelessness, engage city staff and community shelter operators, review good practices from other communities and report back on the adequacy and capacity of the city’s homeless services to meet the current and future needs of people who are homeless.
Full Wellesley Institute submission
Street Health report on health status of homeless people