Protests Are Taking Over Part Of Toronto & Former Premier Kathleen Wynne Is In The Crowd
A tale of two protests. In Toronto, a temporary shelter protest is underway with residents in the midtown area raising concerns about safety and crime in the neighbourhood since interim housing sites opened up in April. Nearby, there are other people protesting the protest.
The counter-protesters say that people using this temporary housing program are welcome in the neighbourhood.
Among those in the crowd is Ontario's former premier Kathleen Wynne.
The politician took to Twitter to say "great communities look out for & help each other, including those who are marginalized or experiencing homelessness."
She acknowledged the opposing views saying, "when the neighbourhood is divided, responsibility falls on all levels of gov’t to lead with a plan & sufficient support to keep the community strong."
Wynne also posted a video showing groups of people holding signs and cheering and some police can be seen keeping an eye on everything.
In the video, she says it's not about poor vs. affluent or whether to have a shelter there, but it's about community safety for people inside and outside of the shelter.
"I came to the community safety rally at Mount Pleasant and Eglinton today because I'm very concerned about the resources that need to be put into this community," Wynne said.
These protests come after a city employee was stabbed at a shelter at Yonge and Broadview on August 4.
According to Toronto Police, the suspect allegedly approached workers at the shelter and stabbed a woman before running at other staff with the knife.
The victim was taken to hospital with serious injuries and the man was arrested and faces three different charges.
The City of Toronto responded to the protests today in a news release saying that residents have a right to express any concerns with these shelters.
They also outlined a number of steps they've taken to promote safety in the area including installing cameras, hiring security guards, and enforcing a good neighbours policy, among others.