Media Release: Encampment Justice Coalition Rallies to Rescind Bill 6 Across Ontario

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Encampment Justice Coalition Rallies to Rescind Bill 6 Across Ontario

[Thursday, May 29th, 2025: Ontario] — With membership from 112 grassroots and civil society organizations working across Ontario, the newly formed Encampment Justice Coalition are Rallying to Rescind Bill 6 in four municipalities on Thursday, May 29th, 2025:

Toronto
: 11:30 am at Queen’s Park (South Lawn); co-organized by the Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness and HAC Toronto.

Kingston
: 12:00 pm at Confederation Park (216 Ontario Street); co-organized by the Kingston Encampment Support Network.

Ottawa
: 1:00 pm at City Hall (110 Laurier Avenue); co-organized by the Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa.

Port Hope: 1:00 pm at MPP David Piccini’s Constituency Office (117 Peter Street)

The Coalition, who previously published an open letter to the Premier, are asking the provincial 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.

Speakers at the Queen’s Park Rally to Rescind Bill 6 include the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, Disability Justice Network of Ontario, Neighbourhood Legal Services, HAC Toronto, Toronto Indigenous Harm Reduction, and the Toronto Underhoused and Homeless Union. This rally will also include remarks from three of Ontario’s four major political parties: MPPs Gilmour, Lennox, and McKenney (NDP); MPP Clancy (Greens); and MPP Fairclough (Liberal).

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 favour of coercive drug treatment and jail.

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.

­Quotes:

“Premier Ford's decision to treat unhoused people as criminals is not only discriminatory, and a violation of human rights, it is a foolhardy policy. Countless studies have shown incarcerating people neither solves homelessness nor restores the human right to housing. It does however, balloon budgets and create a displacement cycle. Premier Ford should brush up on human rights law and start meeting his obligations: find long term, affordable secure housing for the thousands who need it across the province.” — Leilani Farha, Global Director, The Shift

“Bill 6 criminalizes unhoused people and those living in poverty, disproportionately harming already marginalized communities, including Indigenous, Black, and other racialized communities, women and gender diverse populations, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and people with disabilities. Rather than addressing the root causes of homelessness through rights-based solutions that uphold dignity and autonomy, it will deepen the crisis.” — Harini Sivalingam Director, Equality Program, Canadian Civil Liberties Association

“Bill 6 is not only a cruel and ineffective response to homelessness — it’s a direct attack on the survival of women and gender-diverse people who are already facing extreme violence, poverty, and systemic discrimination on the streets. This legislation doesn’t make communities safer; it makes them more dangerous for those with the fewest protections. Criminalizing homelessness, especially in the absence of adequate safe shelter or harm reduction supports, will push more women into hiding, into unsafe situations, and further away from help.” — Stefania Seccia, Women’s National Housing & Homelessness Network

"The Ford Government has chosen to undermine and attack the rights of all Ontarians through Bill 6. Disabled People in Ontario already face rampant criminalization, further disablement and death throughout the Ontario justice system, particularly those among our communities who are unhoused. This legislation only furthers the violence faced by unhoused disabled people—opening the door to mass incarceration and institutionalization. Without any action to raise social assistance rates and create accessible, affordable housing, this government has chosen instead to violently attack already precarious, disabled communities across this Province." — Brad Evoy, Disability Justice Network of Ontario

“Bill 6 does nothing to solve Ontario’s homelessness crisis. Municipalities have asked for long-term housing solutions and instead have been met with short sighted, harmful, and ineffective enforcement measures that target the most vulnerable in our communities. Encampment residents are rights holders that deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, not heavily policed and swept out of sight under the guise of public safety.” — Ashley Schuitema, Executive Director of Waterloo Region Community Legal Services