Encampment Justice Coalition – Letter to the Premier
67 organizations working across communities in Ontario stand united as the newly formed Encampment Justice Coalition. Together, they have published an open letter to the Premier asking his government to rescind Bill 6, the Safer Municipalities Act, and commit to human rights-compliant, evidence-based, and proven solutions — especially safe, affordable housing — to address Ontario’s encampment crisis.
The Coalition represents an unusual intersection of organizations with expertise in housing, homelessness, health care, drug policy, disability justice, human rights, settlement, migrant justice, public transit, and Canadian law. Within the scope of their expertise, they are united in their opposition to Bill 6. The approach of the Bill, which is based on failed U.S. policy, punishes encampment residents and deprioritizes housing as a solution in favor of coercive drug treatment and jail.
The Coalition affirms that jails and coercive drug treatment do not solve homelessness — housing does. Moreover, the Coalition questions importing disastrous American policies at a time when Ontario must define itself from America and stand united against the economic threat of American tariffs.
These tariffs threaten to make more Ontarians homeless, and punishing encampments will only exacerbate this — both directly, but also indirectly, as the associated policing and prison costs will become an untenable burden on taxpayers.
The Coalition calls on the Premier to stand with all Ontarians, including encampment residents, by prioritizing care, not punishment, and investing in the solutions to homelessness that are proven to work. The Coalition also invites the Premier and his government to meet and discuss positive solutions with its representatives.
The open letter has been signed by:
1. Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario
2. African Canadian Collective
3. African Centre for Refugees in Ontario-Canada
4. Algoma Community Legal Clinic
5. Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa
6. Black Legal Action Centre
7. Butterfly
8. Canadian Centre for Housing Rights
9. Canadian Civil Liberties Association
10. Canadian Drug Policy Coalition
11. Crisis in Our City Network
12. Disability Justice Network of Ontario
13. Drug Strategy Network of Ontario
14. Encampment Coalition of York Region
15. Engage Barrie
16. Equity Network
17. Finch Avenue Community Center
18. Hamilton and District Labour Council
19. Hamilton Encampment Support Network
20. Harm Reduction Action Collective (HRAC)
21. Harm Reduction Advocacy Collective Toronto
22. HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO)
23. HIV Legal Network
24. Kensington Market Community Land Trust
25. Legal Clinic of Guelph and Wellington County
26. Live Educate Transform Society (LET’S)
27. Maytree
28. Mississauga Community Legal Services
29. Mozia Women’s Network Society
30. National Right to Housing Network
31. Nellie’s
32. Niagara Community Legal Clinic
33. Northwest Community Legal Clinic
34. ODSP Action Coalition
35. Ontario Alliance to End Homelessness
36. Ontario Coalition for the Rights of Homeless People
37. Ontario Disability Coalition
38. Parkdale Activity-Recreation Centre (PARC)
39. Peel Poverty Action Group
40. Progress Belleville
41. Progress Toronto
42. Réseau ACCESS Network
43. Right to Housing Toronto (R2HTO)
44. Ripple Community Collective
45. Rwandan Canadian Healing Centre (RCHC)
46. Shelter & Housing Justice Network
47. Showing Up for Racial Justice Toronto (SURJ)
48. Social Development Centre Waterloo Region
49. Social Justice & Advocacy Committee, Anglican Diocese of Toronto
50. Social Planning Toronto
51. St. Felix Centre
52. Substance Overdose Prevention and Education Network (SOPEN)
53. The Shift
54. Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness
55. Toronto Chinatown Land Trust
56. Toronto Indigenous Harm Reduction
57. TTC Riders
58. Voices For Unhoused Liberation
59. Waterloo Region Community Legal Services
60. Waterloo Region Drug Action Team
61. Women’s National Housing and Homelessness Network
62. York South-Weston Tenant Union
Organizations working outside of Ontario in solidarity:
1. Barrier Free Saskatchewan
2. Truro Housing Outreach Society