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Ontario moves forward with bill to crackdown encampments, weighs involuntary addiction treatment

Several mayors — particularly in larger cities — have urged the province to go further by enacting legislation that would permit involuntary treatment, as a way to address entrenched encampments and visible addiction in urban parks and downtown cores.

Published May 1, 2025 at 4:51pm

Barbara Patrocinio
By
Barbara Patrocinio
Ontario moves forward with bill to crackdown encampments, weighs involuntary addiction treatment

ONT homeless encampment 20250130 Toronto City workers dismantle a structure as they clear an homeless encampment on Thursday January 30, 2025.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

The Ford government is reviving legislation aimed at giving municipalities more powers to remove homeless encampments, as first reported by QP Briefing, and leaving the door open to the use of involuntary treatment.

On Wednesday, the governing PCs re-tabled the Safer Municipalities Act, which died on the order paper when Premier Doug Ford called a snap election in January.

The legislation passed first reading at Queen’s Park and contains provisions that would increase trespassing fines, which critics say are squarely aimed at individuals living in public parks.

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