Advocates condemn city permit that might force out encampment residents from churchyard

Advocates are concerned a city-issued permit could force encampment residents who have been living on public property for the past couple of years to leave, with no safe and long-term shelter to go to.

St. Stephen-In-The-Fields Reverend Canon Maggie Helwig says people with the church who help encampment residents at 103 Bellevue Avenue were told by the City of Toronto that a community group applied for a permit that jeopardizes their use of the space.

The permit can see them "work with police to evict encampment residents" as early as this week, she said.

"We have people who have been here for two years now, and the stability of being in one place, with services, with supports, with the church has actually been really, really helpful for many people's health," said Helwig.

"We are not going to cooperate with finding places to force people to go."

Helwig says while the land technically isn't owned by the church, it's been used as a churchyard for about 150 years and more recently a community spot for people experiencing homelessness. She says the need for spaces like the churchyard has only grown in recent years due to the lack of affordable and supportive housing in the city — including the city's own shelter system, which as of last week, was turning away 275 people each night.

The city confirmed to CBC Toronto that it has approved a street occupation permit — permits which are issued prior to demolition, renovation and/or construction projects that will temporarily occupy public property.

But it says the details of it — including who applied for the permit — are not being made public.

"The City responds to encampments on the City's right-of-ways and refers occupants to outreach providers for support before determining next steps," reads an email from the city.

"However, any tent or structure that encroaches on a City park or right-of-way for the purpose of living or occupying a space is subject to a trespass notice or notice of violation followed by enforcement."

The city says while it has given the people living in the churchyard a violation notice more than a month go, it has sent outreach staff to the site to work with occupants and connect them with housing workers. Since the start of this year, staff gave out 86 shelter referrals after engaging with individuals on the site 247 times, the city said. 

But church volunteers like Andrew Neelands say they're disappointed the city left the church and residents out of the process, particularly since encampment residents won't have any long-term shelter options if they're forced to leave.

"If any homeowner was told that their front lawn was going to become something, that they had missed any opportunity to appeal it, I think they'd be offended," said Neelands.

"I really don't think that pushing them into somebody else's backyard is the option."