Toronto planned to clear out four major homeless encampments by the end of April, internal emails confirm. torstar.co/5lny50FrBkm
The city backed off an April 6 deadline given to camp occupants, saying at the time that trespass notices were only meant to “guide peoples’ decision making.” thestar.com/news/gta/2021/…
The Star obtained the emails through a freedom of information request.
They outlined the city’s initial April plan, and revealed some of the public pressure officials faced to remove the homeless camps from parks and other locations. thestar.com/news/gta/2021/…
They outlined the city’s initial April plan, and revealed some of the public pressure officials faced to remove the homeless camps from parks and other locations. thestar.com/news/gta/2021/…
Emails — from the inboxes of parks, forestry and recreation staff — cover a 10-day period in May when the city ramped up enforcement against remaining camps. thestar.com/news/gta/2021/…
“In the spring, work will begin to ensure the four park sites are ready and available for a variety of uses, including summer permitting and programming,” read a document that appears to have been sent between staffers in May, but included the April date. thestar.com/news/gta/2021/…
Those four sites were Lamport Stadium, which was partially cleared May 19, Trinity Bellwoods, which was cleared June 22, Alexandra Park and Moss Park. The latter two are still in place. thestar.com/news/gta/2021/… 
The city says it delayed the clearings to give occupants time to ‘encourage people to voluntarily accept offers’ of accommodation in the shelter system. At the time, the shelter system was hit hard by COVID-19 outbreaks. thestar.com/news/gta/2021/…
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