14WARD 14CANDIDATE VOICES Independent · Nonpartisan

GO DEEPER · POLICY & PRIORITIES · What will you do?

P07 · question 7 of 10

Community safety, homelessness & mental health

What should the City do about homelessness, addiction, mental-health crises and public disorder, and where do policing and enforcement fit into your approach?

Quick version: S07 · What should the City do first about homelessness and public disorder in the ward?

Approach & proposed action

Susan Chapelle

My healthcare work has taught me that housing, pain, mental health and safety cannot be dealt with in separate boxes. Someone living outside needs a suitable place to live and access to care. A family frightened to walk to school needs a response today. I would support shelter and respite capacity while pursuing permanent supportive housing, including appropriate public-land and modular projects. Housing providers need funded connections to primary care, mental-health services, addiction treatment and culturally appropriate support. The Province must participate in healthcare delivery and funding. I support harm reduction connected to treatment, outreach and a practical disposal strategy. Programs should be judged by health outcomes and conditions around them. I would seek coordinated neighbourhood plans addressing discarded equipment, dealing, violence and access to businesses and public spaces, with clear responsibilities for service providers and City departments. Community crisis teams should respond when their skills fit the situation. Police are needed for violence, credible threats and criminal activity, with emergency health services involved when appropriate. Poverty or illness alone should not be treated as misconduct. Encampment responses should prioritize suitable indoor options, outreach and safety. Moving people from one sidewalk to another does not resolve homelessness.

Jason Stevens

homelessness is about a gap between rich and poor more than requiring policing

Maria Voutsinas

Putting homeless and those suffering from addiction and mental health crises in jail is an expensive and self-defeating solution. The only way to keep those who struggle off the street is to provide them with supportive housing that can help them deal with their problems, find solutions and move on to being long term productive members of our community. Organizations like Seeds of Hope, who provide emergency housing and supportive programs can help people find the solutions that they need. Most police have not been trained in how to deal with mental health crises, however they are one of the few front line services who are available 24/7. We need to ensure that the Toronto Police Services have sufficient, well-trained mental health workers as part of their staff. We may need to re-allocate some funding from crime response, given how the crime rate has gone down while mental health crises have increased.

Cost & funding

Susan Chapelle

Pursue provincial healthcare and addiction funding, federal housing partnerships and municipal housing and shelter resources. Public land can reduce land costs, but does not pay for services. Modular projects across Canada reduce building times, and costs that can be utilized on public land. Support costed investment in crisis response, outreach and waste removal, with clear coordination to avoid duplicated work. Emergency shelters remain necessary while housing is delivered. Don't assume immediate savings from reducing police or hospital use. Those benefits need evidence over time. Funding agreements should identify who pays for operations before a new facility opens to residents.

Trade-offs & affected groups

Susan Chapelle

People experiencing homelessness, addiction or mental illness need safety, autonomy and appropriate care. Nearby families, workers, businesses and transit riders need protection from threats, violence and hazardous waste. Indigenous residents and other underserved groups may need culturally specific services. Supportive housing requires ongoing funding and can raise neighbourhood concerns that deserve answers. Enforcement without alternatives can displace vulnerable people and damage trust; failing to address dangerous conduct also harms residents. Treatment capacity and housing supply limit available choices. I would assess both health outcomes and neighbourhood conditions, involve people with lived experience and distinguish discomfort from actual risk or harm.

Authority & feasibility

Susan Chapelle

Council can fund shelter, housing, public health and community crisis services, and improve coordination among municipal departments. Provincial partners control major healthcare and treatment resources. Councillors cannot direct individual police operations or clinical decisions. Better outreach coordination, clear disposal responsibilities and site safety plans are early actions. New supportive homes and treatment access require providers, property, approvals and funding agreements. I would work through the relevant boards and agencies, request measurable service standards and pursue provincial partnerships. I cannot promise to eliminate homelessness in one term, but can pursue housing and service improvements and make failures visible to the public.

Deliverable & timeline

Susan Chapelle

Within six months, I would convene local housing, health, outreach and safety partners to identify service gaps and repeated public safety problems. I would seek a neighbourhood response plan with named responsibilities and accessible reporting routes. Within two years, I would pursue funded improvements in crisis response, waste removal and housing access, while advancing suitable supportive housing partnerships. Public updates should track housing placements and retention where data permit, service response times, hazardous waste concerns and unresolved safety issues. I would protect personal information and avoid using arrests or encampment removals as evidence of success. Outcomes must reflect sustained improvement.

Supporting sources

Susan Chapelle

Toronto Community Crisis Service 2026 growth report and public dashboard, on crisis response and referral pathways. Toronto SafeTO plan, on coordinated community safety. Streets to Homes program and Encampment Outreach and Response guidance, on housing-focused outreach. BC Housing's Larwill Place and The Beach project report, on modular supportive housing and healthcare partnerships. Toronto Community Crisis Service evaluation, on outcomes and service limitations.

Responded, but not to this question

Denise Walcott

No response yet

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