Hunger strike to go ahead after talks with city officials about homelessness go poorly
CBC News | Posted: July 26, 2022 9:13 PM | Last Updated: July 26, 2022
City says group behind protest doesn't appear willing to work with established care providers
A hunger strike to call attention to predictable and preventable deaths of people living on London's streets will go ahead next week after talks between advocates and city officials broke off on Tuesday.
"We went into our meeting with the city hoping for serious conversation regarding how to implement these necessary, life-saving changes but we were sorely disappointed," the organizing committee of The Forgotten519, a group of people who advocate for those experiencing homelessness, wrote in a statement.
"People are dying predictable and preventable deaths at appalling and ever-increasing rates. Continuing to do what has always been done has not stopped anything. In fact, things have only become worse."
City officials, including Mayor Ed Holder and bureaucrats, said there would be no immediate changes so the hunger strike will continue, the advocates said.
The coalition of advocates has promised a hunger strike beginning Aug. 1 if three demands aren't met:
- An immediate end to the removal of homeless encampments in city parks, along the Thames Valley Parkway and in empty parking lots and derelict properties.
- More support from city relief workers at homeless encampments
- The creation of two indoor spaces — one downtown and the other in the east-end — in order to provide 24/7 support for unsheltered people.
The advocates say they were told by city officials that there are multiple complaints a day about people who are experiencing homelessness, that encampments are "violent places filled with unruly criminal outsiders" and that they're dismantled for the safety of all involved.
Removing people from camps that they set up, however, is not the answer, the advocates said, adding that "forced displacement of encampment residents, without a safe place to move to, reduces housing outcomes, reduces positive health outcomes, ruins relationships with outreach teams, reduces communication with supports, and ends
lives."
lives."
The advocates say they've witnessed the city's coordinated informed response team tear down single tents, destroy people's property and have had reports that the team goes in to clear sites while people are away to get lunch.
City issues statement
The city issued a statement Tuesday following the meeting.
It said city officials share the concerns expressed by The Forgotten519, and they agree there is an urgent need "to create solutions that will have an impact on people whose lives are at risk."
The statement also acknowledged the work of frontline workers in dealing with Londoners who are experiencing homelessness.
It also said city administration has made extensive efforts to take steps to help the city's most vulnerable and have taken these measures "on the advice and direction of and with cooperation from community agencies."
The statement also fired back a bit at The Forgotten519.
"We were also disappointed with the outcome of the meeting and are concerned that this new organization does not intend to work with established service providers," the city's statement says.
Regarding concerns about the dismantling of encampments, the city says where the camps aren't deemed a risk, they're left in place. The city says they take care with the belongings of those who live in the encampments that are removed and that the focus will continue to be moving people toward housing.
On its website, the city describes its coordinated response team as a "trained, highly engaged" team of city employees and outreach workers who offer support and services to Londoners living unsheltered.
The advocates have not said who will perform the hunger strike, only that it will be a prominent individual and that it will be done on the steps of city hall.