Toronto will hire security to monitor homeless in parks

The City of Toronto is planning to hire private security guards to monitor certain parks and prevent large homeless encampments from cropping up as they did earlier in the pandemic.

City spokesperson Brad Ross said proposals from private security contractors will be accepted until May 30 and the cost of the project will be determined when the contract is awarded.

In a statement, Ross said the contracted security guards will contact city teams when a structure or tent is seen in a park.

He said those teams will quickly contact the encampment occupants and offer support services and safe accommodation.

“It is unsafe, illegal and unhealthy to camp in city parks,” he said.

“The city’s parks bylaw prohibits camping in parks, which was upheld by the courts when the bylaw was unsuccessfully challenged in October 2020.”

The parks included in the new plan are Trinity Bellwoods Park, Lamport Stadium Park, Alexandra Park and Dufferin Grove — some of which saw violent clashes break out between police and the homeless last year. The city said it also plans to have mobile security teams visit Moss Park and Barbara Hall Park.

Homeless encampments began popping up across Toronto in March 2020 as hundreds fled shelters for fear of contracting COVID-19.

The city took action to end the encampment in Trinity Bellwoods in June of last year, weeks after a failed clearing operation at Lamport Stadium Park, where a large crowd showed up to support encampment residents in a standoff with police.