safe

Safe Spaces for ALL in Toronto – Rally, Meal and Action

The Deets:

Tuesday November 25, 2014

12:00 noon

George Hislop Park north end: Charles St (between Yonge and Church)  

Toronto, ON

The Call Out:

Fwds: Join the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty and allies this coming November 25th, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, to fight for:

· 24 Hour women and trans drop-ins NOW
· Open Shelters: real beds, not flex beds!
· Safe, affordable, and accessible HOUSING FOR ALL!

Sign-on to the Open Letter to John Tory: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/a-call-for-safe-spaces-accessible-shelters-and
…
November 25th marks one year since we launched the demand for 24 hour women and trans drop-in spaces following the brutal sexual assault of a homeless woman twice in one night at Dundas and Sherbourne.

After continued action, Toronto City Council agreed to move forward with 24hour drop-ins. But despite the recommendation for at least one space to be opened in 2014, we are now facing a delay until later in 2015. This comes at a time when shelters, especially women and family shelters, operate at nearly 100% full every night and turn people away with nowhere to go.

We have a crisis of homelessness in the City of Toronto. The number of people in shelters is exploding. As we head into colder weather, we are faced once again with the reality of shelters being over-capacity, and with the lack of safe space at night.

Meanwhile affordable housing in Toronto is abysmal – close to 90 000 households remain on the wait-list for social housing, while private market rents skyrocket and overall vacancies are at 1.7%.

As we face the ‘manhattanization’ of Toronto – poor people are left to scramble for a place to live and are denied even the basic dignity of a place to sleep at night. As we take this action it is also National Housing Day on November 22nd – we need safe, affordable and accessible housing for all!

This is about people’s lives! We are tired of the game of words and lack of action while assaults continue on the streets against homeless women and lives are put at risk.

Join us November 25th to take direct action and make sure that the City of Toronto and all levels of government act now to meet the most basic need for people’s lives: access to safe space, shelter and housing.

*Accessibility Information: we will have a wheelchair accessible van for the march as well as accessibility marshals throughout the event. TTC tokens available, map of the area including accessible washrooms.

Organized by: Ontario Coalition Against Poverty

Endorsed By: Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape (TRCC/MWAR), No More Silence, The Assaulted Women’s and Children’s Counsellor/Advocate Program (AWCCA) at George Brown College, No One Is Illegal, OPIRG York(Ontario Public Interest Research Group, York U), Northumberland Coalition Against Poverty, New Socialist Group, Maggie’s – Toronto Sex Workers Action Project, South Riverdale Community Health Centre, Central Toronto Community Health Centres, The Redwood, OPIRG York, Jane Doe, Toronto Harm Reduction Workers’ Union, CUPE Ontario Social Service Workers Coordinating Committee, CUPE Local 4308, Social Housing Alliance BC, Sistering (Services for homeless women), Front d’action populaire en réaménagement urbain (FRAPRU), DPAC(Disabled People Against Cuts), SKETCH (Community arts initiative for homeless youth), QPIRG McGill, POPIR (Projet Organisation Populaire Information Et Regroupement), PASAN, The Bad Date Coalition, Toronto York Region Labour Council Women’s Committee, OPSEU Provincial Women’s Committee, OPSEU Greater Toronto Area Council, Onsite [at] OCAD University, Street Health

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Krystalline Kraus

krystalline kraus is an intrepid explorer and reporter from Toronto, Canada. A veteran activist and journalist for rabble.ca, she needs no aviator goggles, gas mask or red cape but proceeds fearlessly...