Compassion Over Criminalization

In cities across Ontario, we’re witnessing a deeply troubling approach to addressing homelessness; one that prioritizes visibility over humanity, displacement over dignity.

The increasing trend of dismantling homeless encampments is not a solution. It’s a Band-Aid that covers a gaping wound of systemic poverty and inequality.

The current social assistance rates in Ontario are nothing short of a humanitarian crisis. Ontario Works (OW) recipients receive a mere $733 per month, while Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) participants get $1,308 monthly. These amounts are so far below the poverty line that they might as well be a cruel joke. In a province where the average one-bedroom apartment in many cities costs between $1,500 and $2,000 per month, these rates don’t just fall short, they’re a mathematical impossibility.

Let’s be clear: homeless encampments are not a choice, but a desperate response to a system that has fundamentally failed its most vulnerable citizens. When individuals cannot afford basic shelter, they create makeshift communities as a means of survival. Dismantling these encampments doesn’t solve homelessness; it merely moves human suffering from one location to another, often under the guise of “public safety” and “urban cleanliness.”

The human cost of this approach is immeasurable. Each tent represents a person with a story – someone’s child, potentially a parent, a community member who has fallen through the cracks of our social safety net. By treating these individuals as problems to be swept away, we deny their fundamental human rights and dignity.

Moreover, the economic argument for raising social assistance rates is compelling. Every time a municipality spends resources on removing encampments – involving police, bylaw officers, social workers, and cleanup crews – taxpayers foot a substantial bill. These expenses far exceed the cost of providing meaningful financial support that could actually prevent homelessness.

Research consistently demonstrates that providing direct financial support is one of the most effective strategies for addressing poverty. Countries and cities that have implemented robust social support systems see lower rates of chronic homelessness, reduced strain on emergency services, and improved overall community well-being.

The current approach of criminalizing poverty is not only inhumane but counterproductive. Fining or arresting individuals experiencing homelessness creates additional barriers to stability. A criminal record makes finding employment and housing even more challenging, creating a vicious cycle of marginalization.

What would real solutions look like? First and foremost, immediately raising social assistance rates to match the actual cost of living. The Ontario Minimum Wage Bench Mark indicates that a living wage in many Ontario communities ranges between $18 and $23 per hour. The living wage in Brantford is now $20.90 per hour (Ontario Living Wage Network). Social assistance should provide a baseline that allows individuals to meet their basic needs with dignity.

Secondly, we need comprehensive supportive housing strategies. This means not just building more affordable housing, but ensuring that such housing comes with wraparound services – mental health support, addiction treatment, job training, and community integration programs.

Municipal governments and provincial legislators must recognize that homeless encampments are a symptom, not the disease. The disease is a systemic failure to provide adequate support for our most vulnerable citizens. Removing encampments might provide a temporary illusion of resolution for some, but it solves nothing.

Community safety isn’t achieved by pushing vulnerable people out of sight. True safety comes from ensuring that every member of our community has access to basic necessities. It comes from understanding that we are all interconnected, and the well-being of our most marginalized members reflects the health of our entire social fabric.

To the decision-makers reading this: Choose compassion. Choose evidence-based solutions. Raise social assistance rates. Invest in supportive housing. Treat every individual with the inherent dignity they deserve.

Our humanity is measured not by how we treat those with power and privilege, but by how we support those most in need.

Ron Anicich 

Raise The Rates Coalition 

Toronto, Ontario