Toronto Spent Nearly $2M To Clear Out 3 Homeless Encampment Sites This Summer

The City of Toronto just announced how much it cost them to clear out three homeless encampment sites. This past summer the City cleared out encampments at Trinity Bellwoods, Alexandra Park, and Lamport Stadium Park, some of which brought about massive police presence, protests, and several arrests.

"Today, the City of Toronto released final costs associated with the trespass notice enforcement, security to protect City staff, the public and encampment occupants, and the needed extensive remediation for Alexandra, Trinity Bellwoods and Lamport Stadium parks," City officials wrote in a news release on September 17.

All the costs related to the trespass enforcement from the three sites this summer include City and private security staff, the Toronto Police, paramedic staff, fleet costs for transportation services equipment, solid waste management services, and other operational costs such as buses and personal protective equipment, according to the City's statement.

Staffing for trespass enforcement — including contracted security — cost the City $840,127 in total. Trinity Bellwoods Park alone cost nearly half that amount at $416,690, with Lamport Stadium at $223,388, and Alexandra Park at $200,0049.

"Police and security were on hand during the enforcement to help ensure the safety of staff and encampment occupants, and the integrity of the protective fencing perimeter," the news release further read. "Only when protesters indicated they would not leave the fenced area after being asked to do so – preventing City staff from doing their jobs in assisting encampment occupants – did the City request police assistance in clearing the fenced area of the parks."

Fencing expenses for all three parks came out to $357,000.

"Following enforcement, City staff had to take unprecedented action to remediate the park grounds for general public use," government officials wrote. The current cost to restore the landscaping at all of the parks is $792,668.

Staffing, fencing, and landscaping cost the City $1,989,795 in total.

The City also announced that it is investing $663.2 million on Homelessness and Housing First solutions for 2021, which is almost twice as much as they spent in 2019 ($365.8 million).