Toronto Carpenter Says He's Ending His Tiny Shelters Project In Scathing Instagram Post
"Putting this problem out of sight has been the City's main concern," Seivwright wrote.
After reaching a settlement with the City of Toronto, Khaleel Seivwright has agreed to end his Toronto Tiny Shelters Project.
In an Instagram post published on Saturday, August 28, Seivwright explained that he would not be building more shelters for public parks this next winter in Toronto.
"I have settled with the City and agreed not to build and place structures in parks," Seivwright wrote.
"Leading up to this agreement I have been in conversation with the City in an attempt to secure permanent housing for encampment residents that want and need it. But it has been obvious that putting this problem out of sight has been the City's main concern instead," he continued.
The city told Seivwright to stop building his shelters in February 2021. In a press release from that time, the City said the shelters were "unsafe" and that unhoused Torontonians are continually encouraged to move to City-run shelters.
Seivwright responded by saying that people "no longer trust" the shelter system.
In his latest Instagram post, the Toronto carpenter said he will close the project's GoFundMe page — which has raised more than $285,000 — and the project will not exist in the "same way."
"I hope that others continue to do what they are inspired to do to support people living outside, until the day comes when the people who run this City step up and do their job," Seivwright said.
"It's late August now, and cold weather is only a few months away."
