Temporary midtown Toronto homeless shelters to be vacated this week, city says

TORONTO — The City of Toronto says two midtown apartment buildings that have been leased to the city for the past few months as emergency housing for the homeless will be completely vacated this week.

Since May, the twin apartment buildings on Broadway Avenue have housed up to 150 formerly homeless residents as part of the city’s plan to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the shelter system.

As a part of the leasing agreement with the developer, those residents have had to move out as the buildings are prepared for demolition.

Protests over alleged safety concerns near the buildings and a nearby hotel that’s also been converted into a shelter have caused tensions in the area over the last month.

Critics claim there has been an uptick in crime in the area, though police have not confirmed that.

In response to the complaints, the city has put forward a number of new measures, including round-the-clock security and mental health and addiction supports.

This article by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 31, 2020.

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