New Toronto residents divided on planned shelter
The new 80-bed municipal shelter at 66 Third St., near Islington Ave., secured by the city is dividing New Toronto residents. At a packed public information session at Humber College on Monday, tensions ran high.
A New Toronto resident of 10 years expressed concerns at Humber College on Monday about the shelter’s impact on neighborhood safety, particularly for its proximity to elementary schools and seniors’ housing.
While some residents feel excluded from the planning process, others argue this housing is crucial with shelters across the city at capacity. City officials, including Loretta Ramadhin and Councillor Amber Morley, defended the shelter, emphasizing it as a necessity for those unhoused in the Etobicoke-Lakeshore area.
A 2021 Street Needs Assessment found about 24 per cent of individuals in need of shelter are based in the Etobicoke area. Right now, there is only one shelter in Etobicoke-Lakeshore with 40 beds for women.
