Dear Residents of Ward 43,
As of January 1, 2017 I am proud to say that the Toronto Public Health’s program to track all homeless deaths that occurs within the city began on January 1, 2017. The program will collect data on all homeless deaths in Toronto within and outside of the shelter system, and will be led by Toronto Public Health in collaboration with 200 health and social agencies that support the homeless and with assistance from the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario.
The program provides a secure, web-based form to all participating agencies to be completed in the occurrence of a death of a homeless individual. Data that will be collected on this form includes age, gender, date, location and the unofficial cause of death. This form will be downloaded by Toronto Public Health and reviewed by the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario.
In previous years homeless deaths were counted under the condition that the death occurred in a city-administered shelter or shortly having been in one. The homeless who died on the streets of Toronto were not counted.
I presented this initiative to City Council in early April 2016 and am very pleased with its implementation. The collection of this data is important. It is the tool needed for us to begin influencing decision making at all levels of government; to bring purposeful policies and legislation to help the homeless and sick who live on the streets of Toronto.
The inspiration to go forward with this motion came from an investigative article from the star, “Ontario’s uncounted homeless dead”. This piece presents the uncounted case of a homeless man John Doe, where a week before his death was found by a police officer unconscious on our City streets.
The individual was rushed to Toronto General Hospital where he was stabilized in critical condition and remained a John Doe. Within days a hospital spiritual counsellor was able to identify John Doe as Brad Chapman. Chapman later passed in the presence of his family.
In passing in a hospital and not a city-administered shelter the data on his death was not collected nor placed on an official homeless dead list.
I found it necessary that our City start collecting data on the number of individuals who perish outside the physical boundaries of the shelter system immediately, as without data without real statistics how were we to frame legislation and prepare preventative measures.
Sincerely,
Paul Ainslie
On Tuesday January 10, 2017 a launch was held to announce the Homeless Death Data Program. Following is the speech I delivered at the event.
Speech delivered by Councillor Paul Ainslie
January 10, 2017
Launch of Homeless Death Data Program
Good morning everyone. My name is Councillor Paul Ainslie. I would like to thank you for joining us here today for this important event.
Before we begin, I would like I would like to thank the Church of the Holy Trinity for opening their doors and sharing their space for our announcement before the monthly Homeless Memorial service they host to acknowledge the many lives lost due to homelessness in our city.
One of my great privileges as Councillor is to be able to raise awareness of the challenges we face across our city and to help bring them to the attention of those who can help address them most effectively. The plight of the homeless and marginally housed in our city is one that requires more work and attention and I am very encouraged to see so many of you here today who share in that belief.
Last March City Council adopted recommendations for the Board of Health to begin collecting all relevant data related to deaths of homeless individuals within and outside homeless shelters. The collection of this data is important. It is the tool needed for us to begin influencing decision making at all levels of government; to bring purposeful policies and legislation to help the homeless and sick who live on the streets of Toronto.
The collection of data is significant in affecting how governments could work cohesively to address the issues and provide the supports required to prevent the unfortunate circumstances of our homeless dying on Toronto streets.
I found it necessary that our City start collecting data on the number of individuals who perish outside the physical boundaries of the shelter system immediately, as without data without real statistics how were we to frame legislation and prepare preventative measures.
Toronto Public Health is well-equipped to lead this initiative as they are committed to protecting and promoting the health of all Toronto residents, including those who are often not represented fully in, and by, the system.
I’m very honoured that I can be here with you to share what I believe will be only one of many strides we’ll continue to make in this area and I look forward to marking this progress with you in the months and years ahead.
Before I hand it over to our next speaker, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge and thank Cathy Crowe for her long standing work with the homeless along with her selfless efforts as a nurse to those in need. I would also like to thank Dr. Barbara Yaffe, Acting Medical Health Officer and her team.
I would now like to invite and welcome Toronto’s Acting Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Barbara Yaffe, up to say a few words.