Little Norway Park

Update on Little Norway Park Encampment and Resolution - March 6, 2025

After several months of focused and consistent efforts through the City’s Interdivisional Protocol for Encampments, as of today there are no encampments in Little Norway Park.  

My team and I have worked closely with the Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association, City staff, community service providers, Homes First, emergency services, and community members to implement and advance an enhanced outreach model that focuses on rapidly connecting encamped residents to shelter, income supports and support services. While this has been challenging work, and I have been committed to responding to community concerns and keeping in regular communication with neighbours – and I thank you for your commitment to resolving this through a dedicated approach.

Results from Little Norway Enhanced Outreach Model

The enhanced outreach model used in Little Norway Park brought a 24/7 presence of case workers, community organizations, and security. Throughout this process, we have achieved important results:

• 87 indoor referrals were completed, with 51 people referred since November 1
• 111 encampments have been resolved
• 20 people supported in obtaining identification, accessing income supports and filing taxes, which ensures eligibility for benefits and is a requirement for housing 
• Over 39,895 kg of waste removed

Working with people along their journey to housing takes time. This is especially true as Toronto remains in a housing and shelter crisis, where shelters have remained consistently full and the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit payments were suspended by the province for the summer months last year, which created a backlog in shelters with people stuck waiting to move into permanent housing. This contributed to a cycle where new encampments appeared in the park faster than staff could connect individuals with indoor options.

Each encampment presents unique challenges and requires a tailored approach. The Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood is a vibrant and diverse community, featuring a mix of housing—from TCHC and co-ops to condominiums and a shelter—all interconnected with parks, a school, and a community centre to create a truly complete neighbourhood. 

I have been committed to responding to community concerns, and keeping in regular communication with neighbours including you – thank you for your commitment to resolving this through a dedicated approach.

I’m grateful for all of the city and community staff who’ve worked to conduct daily outreach visits for people staying in the park, do daily clean ups of the park, and provide health care services. 

Safety for everyone in the neighbourhood has always been a priority for me. I want to thank the security staff, Community Safety Teams, Toronto Fire Services staff, Neighbourhood Community Officers, and all other emergency responders who’ve done proactive work to address safety concerns in the park and respond quickly to emergencies.

What's Next in Little Norway Park

I know that Little Norway Park is a well-loved, well-used park that deserves improvements. Here is what you can expect to see: 

• For the next 5 days: Immediate park clean up. City staff will be onsite at the park over the next few days to do a detailed review of the space, remove unwanted litter and items, and then do a fine cleaning to identify and safely remove all metal and/or sharp hazards that may be embedded in the turf. With snow melting, this may take a bit more time than usual.
• For the next 30 days: Continued encampment prevention. Security teams and Community Safety Teams will remain onsite for the next 30 days, to continue to do encampment prevention, by quickly referring people who may arrive to shelter and services. At the end of 30 days, staff will assess what continued supports are needed.
• In Spring 2025: Turf remediation. In the spring, Parks staff will conduct turf assessments to examine what is needed to re-green the park and assess repairs needed. I will provide updates on more specific dates as the weather changes. 

Please share what park improvements and activations you’d like to see in the survey below.

Take Action to Support Housing

We know that the most effective way to address encampments for the long term is by creating permanent solutions to our city’s housing crisis. It’s crucial to continue action this moment to advocate for continued investment in the resources needed to ensure no one is left behind, while keeping our parks safe and accessible for everyone. With the scale of the homelessness and housing crisis, we need more options to assist people on their housing journey at every stage - from emergency shelters to permanent affordable housing. 

In Bathurst Quay, Homes First is continuing to work with community stakeholders to ensure safe and caring operation of the shelter. They are committed to responding to emails and questions, as well as organizing Community Liaison Committee meetings. You can always reach out to Ryan Evershed, Manager of Community Engagement & Client Programming at [email protected]. I am also glad to share that the Community Safety Teams based out of the shelter that have been monitoring the area 24/7 for needle sweeps, providing de-escalation, conflict resolution, crisis prevention and intervention supports will continue to support our community. Security guards will continue hourly patrols of the shelter’s perimeter. The Community Safety Team can be reached through 211 or directly at 647-455-0062 or 647-455-2800. 

I will continue to work with my council colleagues to use every lever we can to invest in and open affordable and supportive housing. And support from other levels of government is necessary – and we need your voice and your support to make it happen. I have so appreciated that many people in the Bathurst Quay neighbourhood have taken the time to advocate over the past several months in support of housing. If you haven’t yet, you can: 

• Sign this petition to help the City open more shelters, to ensure people get emergency housing when they need it in neighbourhoods across Toronto. It will send an email to all of your representatives. 
• Add your name to support making the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit permanent.

Progress Update - January 28, 2025

City staff installed a staff trailer two weeks ago to support the enhanced outreach efforts to refer all encamped residents indoors. The trailer will help support the following: 

• 24/7 security to take breaks and complete documentation/reports.
• Creates a warm and private space for Streets-to-Homes workers to connect with clients and work on their housing goals and complete documentation for identification renewal and income supports.
• Is a visual touchdown location for those who reside in the encampment and the surrounding community to access security support. 
• Community Safety Teams will continue to monitor the area 24/7 for needle sweeps, provide de-escalation, conflict resolution, crisis prevention and intervention support. They can be reached through 211 or directly at 647-455-0062 or 647-455-2800.

Staff trailers are a key component in providing enhanced outreach services for large encampments. Their presence significantly accelerates the housing and referral process and facilitates improved on-site case management, as demonstrated in similar situations. Additionally, the trailer will support corporate security staff by offering essential amenities such as break space and washroom facilities, ensuring their 24/7 presence in the park is sustainable.

Encampment Office staff also worked diligently to clear the fenced area near the parking lot. Recognizing community concerns, they prioritized building trust with individuals in the area. Staff successfully connected individuals to indoor spaces, relocated one person within the park to continue working on their housing needs, and conducted a thorough site cleanup.

Current status: 

• 6 Encampments 5 people staying at Little Norway
• 73 Referrals completed from this location since January 1, 2024
• 95 encampments reduced in 2024.1st, 2
• 14 encampments resolved since January 2025.
• 28,345 kg of waste/debris has been removed since January 1st, 2024. 

We’ve received several questions about the next steps in the Little Norway Action Plan. As the weather warms up, we remain committed to ensuring the park remains a safe and welcoming space for everyone while working on improvements to enhance its accessibility and overall condition.

In this year’s budget there are important investments to tackle the ongoing housing and homelessness crises. Key investments include $223 million for the Homelessness Service Capital Infrastructure Strategy, ensuring shelter spaces citywide, and funding to expand encampment office staff from 5 to 19 and bolster Community Safety Teams, as well as better funding for park improvements and maintenance. 

Progress Update - December 23, 2024

As of December 20th, the encampment at Little Norway Park has decreased to 14 tents with 13 people staying in the park. 10 encampments have been resolved since December 1st and 2,050 kg of waste has been removed since December 1st 2024. 

On December 16th, the Better Living Centre winter respite centre opened -  4 individuals have moved in while street outreach staff continue to prioritize referrals for people in Little Norway Park.  

City staff are continuing to work towards the installation of a trailer and a full enhanced schedule of visits for community partners for early January. They are also working to establish the regular working group meetings for the new year, where my office, local service providers and City Staff will meet to review community feedback and guide encampment response to ensure people are housed as quickly and safely as possible.

The following enhanced services continue to be in place, including over the holiday period:

• Since November 19th Corporate Security has been positioned at the park 24/7 to report new encampments and provide general security services. They conduct full rounds of the park and perimeter every hour and increase rounds based on the needs and activities in the park.
• Since November 25th Community Safety Teams monitor the area 24/7 for needle sweeps, provide de-escalation, conflict resolution, crisis prevention and intervention supports. They can be reached through 211 or directly at 647-455-0062 or 647-455-2800.
• Streets to Homes attends daily once or more for follow-ups regarding referrals. Housing workers also attend separately to support clients with housing-related items (ID, taxes, income, consent forms). Time spent on-site fluctuates based on the number of people present and their needs for the day.
• Outreach staff from community partners have increased the level of outreach/presence in the park. Other partner agencies like MDOT and ICHA are also attending to provide specialized supports including:
  • ID, taxes, income assistance.
  • Housing supports.
  • Access to safe indoor spaces (shelters, respite, hotel programs, warming centers).
  • Harm reduction supports.
  • Connecting individuals to resources for mental health, medical supports, counseling, drop-in centers, and warming centers.
• Neighbourhood Community Officers are working closely with the Encampment Office to engage with residents and address safety concerns.
• Toronto Fire Services provide fire safety education and information, conduct regular fire risk assessments.
• Parks Ambassadors visit daily for litter cleanup and needle sweep. They attend up to 5 days a week to service drop zone locations and abandoned/relinquished encampments as needed.

With the cold and snowy weather, I continue to share our community’s concerns about emergencies, especially following the fire two weeks ago. Corporate Security monitor incidents and will alert City staff and emergency services, but you can also continue to reach out to 211 for crisis intervention or 911 for emergencies.  

While we work with seriousness to address the situation at Little Norway and respond to community concerns, please consider adding your name to the petition to tackle homelessness by ensuring shelters are opened equitably across the city, not only in some neighbourhoods

Update Following Fire at Little Norway Park - December 14, 2024

I’ve been in touch with Toronto Fire Services and Toronto Shelter and Support Services throughout the day. I’m relieved that injuries were minor and thankful for the quick action by first responders and outreach workers. City staff have been on the ground and have removed debris and completed clean up. 

Fire in our parks is not tolerable and is scary for both people in encampments and in the surrounding communities. As temperatures drop these occurrences have a tendency to spike, underscoring the urgency of the work to connect people with indoor space. 

As of yesterday, the encampment at Little Norway Park had decreased again to 17 tents with 13 people staying in the park. 10 people are continuing to work with City staff and 3 people have housing plans. Following the fire today, Streets-to-Homes staff have referred 2 people into shelters and are continuing to be on the ground, connecting with folks to offer immediate shelter options. Staff will also be prioritizing space in the Better Living Centre winter respite centre (opening Monday) for people from Little Norway Park.

We’ll keep working together to connect those in the park to shelter and services for lasting results that ensure the park is a safe place for everyone in our community to enjoy.

Progress Update on Little Norway Park - December 12, 2024

Current Status: 

As of December 6th, the encampment at Little Norway Park has decreased to 18 tents with 18 people staying in the park. 12 people are continuing to work with City staff and 6 people now have housing plans. No encampment residents are currently declining services. 

With a Little Norway Park Action Plan in place and increased presence of City staff in the park, 29 encampments have been reduced since November 1st, and 53 referrals to shelter and housing have been completed since January, with a dedicated effort over the last three weeks. A total of 17,475 kg of material has been removed since January. 

Recent Updates:

Over the last few weeks, Streets to Homes have increased their visits in the park. 

Another commitment from the November 6 meeting began this week: encampment prevention measures were initiated on Monday December 9th, a focused and intensive deployment of supports and resources with the overall goal of ensuring all residents move to indoor space. 

Starting on December 16th, the Better Living Centre will be open for the winter season with staff prioritizing referrals from Little Norway Park. 

City staff are continuing to work towards the installation of a trailer and a schedule of visits for community partners by the end of December. They are also working to establish the regular working group meetings for the new year, where Deputy Mayor Malik, local service providers and City Staff will meet to review community feedback and guide encampment response to ensure people are housed as quickly and safely as possible.

The following enhanced services continue to be in place:

• Since November 19th Corporate Security has been positioned at the park 24/7 to report new encampments and provide general security services. 
• Since November 25th Community Safety Teams monitor the area 24/7 for needle sweeps, provide de-escalation, conflict resolution, crisis prevention and intervention supports. They can be reached through 211 or directly at 647-455-0062 or 647-455-2800.
• Streets to Homes visits building relationships with individuals to assess their needs, focus outreach and housing-related follow-up supports to find and keep housing.
• Outreach staff from community partners visit to provide specialized supports and resources focused on health, mental health, obtaining IDs and income supports, referral to harm reduction services and wellness checks. 
• Neighbourhood Community Officers engage with residents and address safety concerns
• Toronto Fire Services provide fire safety education and information, conduct regular fire risk assessments.
• Parks Ambassadors visit daily for litter cleanup and needle sweep.

While we work with seriousness to address the situation at Little Norway and respond to community concerns, please consider adding your name to the petition to tackle homelessness by ensuring shelters are opened equitably across the city, not only in some neighbourhoods: https://www.progresstoronto.ca/petition-tackle-homelessness-open-shelters 

Progress Update on Little Norway Park - November 24, 2024

At the November 6th Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association meeting, Gord Tanner, the General Manager of Toronto Shelter and Support Services (TSSS), committed to implementing an enhanced services protocol in the park. 

This week, we received two significant updates: 

• A security team is now positioned at the park on a 24/7 basis, as of Tuesday November 19. 
• Starting November 25, Community Safety Teams will move to 24/7 operations. They will cover the same area around 545 Lake Shore building and parking lot, the condo building immediately to the east, Little Norway Park / Norway Park, Waterfront Neighbourhood Centre, and the Waterfront School. They can be reached at 647-455-0062 or 647-455-2800.

By the end of December, TSSS is working to put the following services in place: 

• A staff trailer, which will facilitate the daily presence of City staff and community service providers for enhanced outreach and supports to ensure: housing/shelter availability is presented and prioritized; the park is maintained and cleaned; and culturally-connected service providers are available to help residents in need.  
• Initiating the Encampment Prevention Plan, a focused and intensive deployment of supports and resources with the overall goal of ensuring all residents have an indoor place to stay, and the park is returned to full community use. 
• Establish and begin organizing the regular meeting of the Little Norway Working Group composed of local service providers and City Staff to inform and guide the response to ensure people are housed as quickly and safely as possible.

This protocol will build on the teams and services already in the park, including Streets-to-Homes staff who offer shelter referrals and housing plans, harm reduction partners, Toronto Fire Services who conduct regular fire risk assessments and education, Neighbourhood Community Officers who engage with residents and address safety concerns and TSSS staff who visit daily for litter cleanup and needle sweep. TSSS can be reached at 416-392-0548 or [email protected].

This week, my office has heard a number of concerns about criminal behaviour in the community that were deeply troubling. It was important to see that 14 Division had a town hall at the Waterfront Neighbourhood Centre this week and community members had the opportunity to get advice. I’m staying closely connected to staff as response continues. 

As of November 22, the encampment at Little Norway Park had 26 tents with 26 people staying in the park. Of the 26 in the park, 22 people are continuing to work with City staff and 4 people already have housing plans.

With an increased presence of City staff in the park, 17 encampments have been reduced since November 1st, and 42 referrals to shelter and housing have been completed since January. A total of 9,975 kg of material has been removed since January. 

Little Norway Park 

With limited green and public spaces in our downtown neighbourhoods, I understand how important Little Norway Park is to our community. Encampments are not the solution to the housing crisis that is gripping our city and country. And I am committed to working together for lasting results that ensure our neighourhood parks are accessible and enjoyable for all.

Ensuring Safe Parks and Safe Residents

While we work to build and open new shelter beds and new affordable housing to keep up with the unprecedented homelessness crisis in Toronto, we also must continue to work hard to keep our parks, communities, and all residents safe. I have ensured that Little Norway Park is a top-tier priority for extra services and resources among the 450 other park encampments across the city, in recognition of Bathurst Quay’s highly diverse population and need for basic services, very busy urban context, and sensitive proximity of the community centre and schools.

The following enhanced actions are being taken in Little Norway Park:

• Daily visits from Streets to Homes staff
• Daily patrols from the Mobile Security team to report and respond to any safety issues and medical emergencies.
• Daily patrols by the Community Safety Teams to address concerns like crisis intervention and needle pick-ups. They patrol key areas and can be contacted daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at 647-455-0062 or 647-455-2800.
• Daily visits by Toronto Shelter and Support Services staff for clean-ups and needle sweeps.
• Regular visits by Toronto Fire Services for fire risk assessments and to provide education.
• Engagement by Neighbourhood Community Officers to address security concerns.
• Frequent visits from harm reduction services and street outreach like The Works to connect to services. 
• Homes First teams have been working to address reported issues and reduce the amount of public drug use in the area and increase the amount of clean-ups around the outside of the building. Security teams patrol multiple times an hour.

Intensive outreach and offering housing support to people residing in Little Norway Park is working: 39 encampments have been voluntarily removed from the park since August 1. Of the 26 remaining people, 22 are currently actively working with City staff and 3 more already have housing plans. While I know that the progress is not always immediately visible, the City is tracking outcomes closely and continuously looking for improvements.

At the same time, over 3,400 kilograms of materials have been removed from the park through cleanups. This is vitally important for safety, especially the removal of fire risks, and it helps to reduce how much space is occupied.

The Homelessness and Affordable Housing Crisis

Each night, more than 230 people are turned away from shelters because there are no beds available, even though Toronto provides over 9,000 shelter spaces – more beds by far than any other city in Canada. Over 89,000 households are on the waitlist for affordable housing, with average wait times stretching from 8 to 13 years. 

This crisis has been decades in the making – a frustrating result of funding and policy choices over time. Thirty years ago, the federal government abandoned its responsibility to fund social and affordable housing. Ontario offloaded this responsibility to municipalities without the necessary funds. Years of funding cuts and austerity, frozen social assistance rates, and escalating rents and cost of living have resulted in the fact that many people in our city and community cannot find an affordable place to live – and are more unwell because of it.

Forcibly clearing encampments is not the solution. Not only is it harmful to people who are living in parks as a last resort, it simply does not work. After the violent encampment clearings of 2021, Toronto’s Ombudsman laid out clear recommendations to focus on alternatives to enforcement actions because the evidence showed that people were only being shuffled from park to park due to lack of shelters and housing. There is no long-lasting solution to encampments without housing. 

Based on these lessons, the City created an Encampment Approach and Strategy that creates a path to shelter and focuses on lasting results to ensure the park is a place for everyone in our community to enjoy. This approach is being implemented city-wide, and all parks are equally subject to this protocol.This approach is echoed by the recommendations from the Federal Housing Advocate in her Review of Homeless Encampments.

Building Shelters and Housing

The City of Toronto is investing in 65,000 new affordable housing units, investing in a new shelter capital plan to provide more spaces in every part of the City and not only the downtown, and acquiring existing rental buildings to keep affordable rental within reach.

Thank you for community advocacy on the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) program that enables people to move out of emergency shelters and access permanent housing, opening up much-needed space in the shelter system. It put pressure on the Ontario Government to finally release the benefits, after a months-long backlog. Making this fund permanent is an important next step to address the housing crisis. 

How to Share Concerns

Little Norway Park remains a top priority for the City’s Encampment Office, and to work with you to address community concerns as efforts continue to resolve the encampment. Please report incidents to the appropriate agency, and also inform my office at [email protected], as well as the General Manager of Toronto Shelter Support Services Office at 416-392-0548 or [email protected]. We escalate requests and having them on record ensures the best action.

311 or 416-338-0889 (TTY)

To report concerns about: 

• Excessive noise
• Excessive litter
• Hazardous materials in parks 
• Illegal dumping 
• Graffiti
• Request Sidewalk and street cleaning 

911 Emergency Services 

For situations where the safety of people or property are at risk

• Fire
• Crime in progress
• Medical emergency
• Agitated or aggressive behaviour 

Toronto Fire Services 416-338-9375 or [email protected]

To discuss general non-emergency fire safety concerns related to an encampment. 

Central Intake 416-397-5637

Telephone support to individuals seeking access to emergency shelter. 

Toronto Community Crisis Response 211

If someone is experiencing emotional distress or in need of crisis intervention. 

You can always get in touch with my office if you have any concerns that you aren’t sure where to direct at [email protected]. 

Thank you for your continued care and commitment to work together for a safe and caring community.