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DIGEST JULY 2023

Thank you very much for your continuous support and joining our mission to eliminate poverty and reduce inequity.

Please see the following digest on updates and events by HPAP and its community partners:

1. Summer Journal Club

This week will be the second reading group discussion of the summer!

The last portion of our August 2nd meeting will be used for our reading group, centered on ‘“Let this radicalize you”, by Kelly Hayes and Mariame Kaba. 

  • Sign up here for the reading group.

2. Update & Action Items: City of Toronto Homelessness Crisis

City data has shown that Toronto shelters have been turning away on average 273 people during the month of June – a record high. This is happening as the city continues to push for closure of hotel-shelters, delays building low-income housing, and destroys encampments. 

Recently refugees in Toronto have been turned away from the shelter system, leaving refugees and asylum seekers stranded outside at 129 Peter St., a City of Toronto building that refers unhoused people into shelter spaces.

Some background – last May, the City announced a plan to refer refugee claimants outside of the shelter system and secure shelter funding for refugees from the federal government.  However, the Liberal government did not fulfill its federal duty to provide money to Toronto to ensure shelter and housing supports were provided to refugees, creating a human rights disaster. 

HPAP put out a statement about the situation with refugee claimants outside of 129 Peter Street being denied shelter: 

While shelters have since re-opened to refugees, and 129 Peter Street is back to ‘normal’ levels of people outside – in huge part thanks to Black-led groups – we continue to stand firmly against the City’s decision to withhold shelter and supports to asylum seekers and the dangerous precedent this decision has set.  
 
The Federal Government has since announced that it will provide $97M to the City of Toronto. 
While this is a great first step, it is not enough. We still need the remainder of the $157M, access to federal space, and long-term commitments to house refugees permanently. We must keep up the pressure!

What has been done?

  • On July 17th, SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) Toronto organized a phone & email zap for refugees at 129 Peter Street to demand urgent action from federal and city representatives.
  • On July 28th, advocates gathered in front of Minster Chrystia Freeland’s office to call on federal government to fulfill their responsibility in addressing the refugee shelter and housing crisis. 
  • A GoFundMe (now closed) started by Diana Chan McNally (a community and crisis worker with unhoused people for the past 9 years) and Lorraine Lam (long-time outreach worker) raised over $81,000 to purchase water, food, basic survival supplies to stranded refugees.
    • Please note: as the operations wind down, any remaining funds will be distributed to underfunded organizations supporting refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants 

What can you do now?

  • Join us in signing this petition to demand Parliament fulfill their responsibilities and take immediate action in providing emergency respite and shelter spaces for refugees and asylum seekers. 

3. Update & Action Item: Harm Reduction in Leslieville

On July 7th, a community member was tragically killed by a gunshot at Queen St. East and Carlaw Ave. This horrific tragedy has affected the entire Leslieville community. 

This tragedy has also led to increased attention to the South Riverdale Community Health Centre (SRCHC) located across the street from where the shooting occurred. While terrifying, it is important to note that gun violence is not caused by harm reduction services. On the contrary, evidence shows that harm reduction services act to increase the safety of their communities. 

We at HPAP firmly support harm reduction services as a life-saving service, and are committed to advocating for evidence-based harm reduction practices. Calls to close a supervised consumption site will compound harm and death in the community. 

Check out this update put out by SRCHC on how they will continue to work with their community and government partners to identify local safety concerns and push for real action.

We must come together as a community – help show support for the community-based health and socials services provided by SRCHC, and for the continuation of the Supervised Consumption site and harm reduction planning by signing this petition put out by the Leslieville Harm Reduction Coalition, calling on PM Doug Ford and Mayor Olivia Chow to increase funding for the life-saving services offered at SRCHC, and to address gun violence through community programming and strong gun control measure.

Petition ‘Support Harm Reduction in Leslieville’ found here. 

Upcoming events that need your support:

1. Mass protest to stop the Ford Government’s Privatization of our Public Hospitals 

On September 25th, Ontario Health Coalition will be leading a Mass Protest in Toronto at Queen’s park, as well as 3 Northern Ontario locations; Thunder Bay, Dryden, & Algoma. 

Join healthcare workers, advocates, and community members on Monday September 25th at noon to demand the Ford government stop privatization of our public hospitals.

Click here for more information and to sign-up.

2. Support Thorncliffe Park Tenants on Rent Strike 

Join tenants who have been on rent strike against Starlight and PSP Investments for 3 months now to protest rent hikes that will force them out of their homes and their community. Read more about the rent strike here.

Fundraiser: gofundme to support Thorncliffe Park Tenants.
Rally: happening on Tuesday, August 1st at noon, at Islington Subway Station (see graphic below).

3. Free Grassy Narrows

On September 27th, members of the Land Alliance will march to call on Premier Ford to end unwanted mining on their Territories. Location is TBD; RSVP here. 

Some articles for background reading: