Toronto’s Homeless Seek Shelter at Union Station During Snowstorm

As a major snowstorm swept through Toronto on March 15, 2024, many homeless residents sought shelter in unconventional locations, including Union Station. With city shelters operating at full capacity, this transit hub became a refuge for those without a place to go.

Melanie Morales, who commutes daily through the tunnel connecting Union Station and Scotiabank Arena, encountered Douglas Watt, a man sitting on the floor with a cardboard sign that read, “HOMELESS ANYTHING GOD BLESS.” Their conversation highlighted the stark realities faced by individuals experiencing homelessness. Morales shared how executives in her office often order catered lunches, wasting much of the food. She asked Watt if he could help distribute sandwiches to others in need. Watt expressed gratitude for such gestures, noting that many are hungry enough to sift through waste bins for food.

With temperatures plummeting, the city’s shelter system remained overwhelmed, with an average of **39 people turned away each day**. As the cold weather intensified, scenes like those at Union Station were repeated across Toronto, where individuals sought warmth in various public spaces, from libraries to hospital emergency rooms.

In response to winter’s harsh conditions, the city expands its shelter capacity, opening warming centres when temperatures drop below **-5°C** and utilizing contingency spaces when they reach **-15°C**. Cathy Crowe, a seasoned street nurse and advocate for the homeless, emphasized the lifesaving importance of these facilities. Yet, as they often reach maximum capacity, Crowe criticized the city for its ongoing unpreparedness for extreme weather, stating, “It’s not getting to the crux of the problem.”

The precarious nature of finding refuge in public spaces is evident, as individuals are sometimes asked to leave. Keisha Job, who has been homeless for several years due to a struggle with addiction, described her experience while gathering her belongings in the adjacent bus terminal. Job expressed a desire to leave Toronto and return to her hometown of Timmins, Ontario, but has faced obstacles, including a friend who failed to assist her as promised. “The government is really hard on addicts right now, and they’re really tough on homeless people,” she said.

Watt pointed to the rising cost of living and housing as significant contributors to homelessness. He relies on disability support, which he found insufficient to meet his needs. After leaving his family to avoid adding to their stress from health issues, he has faced challenges finding shelter. He mentioned that one shelter in Halton turned him away due to lack of space. Some nights, he resorts to sleeping at GO stations in Burlington and Oakville. “I’ll be honest with you, shelters are even worse than being on the streets sometimes,” he admitted.

Crowe noted that individuals willing to utilize warming centres during extreme weather accept poor conditions to escape the cold. These facilities often provide cots instead of proper beds and offer limited access to amenities like showers. Earlier this week, warming centres reported occupancy rates exceeding **103.3 percent**. Lorraine Pennington, a spokesperson for the social agency Fred Victor, confirmed that staff have brought more people into their warming centre at Exhibition Place’s Better Living Centre than it was designed to accommodate. “We need to advocate for more spaces in general. The system is overwhelmed with maximum capacity,” Pennington stated.

During a city council meeting, senior staff including Gord Tanner, head of the city’s shelter department, addressed the situation. They highlighted recent improvements in turn-away rates, which had dropped to as low as **two people** on a single day in December. Tanner acknowledged that while progress was being made, the city still struggles to meet individual needs for shelter.

Budget notes from Tanner’s department warned that without adequate support for housing, the shelter turnover rate decreases, leading to a visible crisis in public spaces. Watt remains concerned about the increasing number of individuals experiencing homelessness, particularly young people. “There’s a lot of young, displaced people I’ve noticed,” he remarked, referencing those as young as **17** and **18**.

As the snowstorm continued to blanket Toronto, Watt hoped to gather enough change for a coffee, relying on the kindness of strangers like Morales. “I’d get lost out here pretty quick,” he said, expressing a sense of vulnerability in the unfamiliar city. The struggles faced by those like Watt and Job underscore the urgent need for comprehensive solutions to Toronto’s homelessness crisis, particularly in extreme weather conditions.