Homelessness and Panhandling in Toronto

[kettal]

Homelessness doesn't seem that extreme in Melbourne. I am pretty sure if housing was more accessible and rent-assistant was provided, this issue would be mitigated. The phenomena is the result of innaccessibility to housing.

Houselessness, as George Carlin has suggested, is the problem.

In Melbourne, the homeless tend to migrate towards the caravan parks at the fringes of the city instead of downtown.

 

[Tdot_one]

In Melbourne, the homeless tend to migrate towards the caravan parks at the fringes of the city instead of downtown.

I live in Footscray at the moment. In addition, my girlfriend lives around St. Albans. To top it off, I can fit in and communicate quite easily with the local population in those areas (Broadmeadows, Dandenong, etc) and go through Maddern Square all the time.

Imo, Toronto has a lot more homeless people. I've noticed food banks are a lot more limited over here. Most can get by on Centrelink quite easily and its extremely acessible. Most students who I've interacted with seems to be on some form of welfare (youth allowance, austudy)

On the other hand, I remember my days around Moss Park, and the homelessness situation in those parts were a joke. Not as bad as Detroit. However Toronto has a much larger upper class population with most majority of visitors seeing that segment. Melbourne seems a lot more middle class, while Toronto is predominantly belonging to a lower class population.

www.urbancentre.utoronto.ca/redirects/rb41mediarelease.html

PS: This was compiled before the recession as well. From what I've heard, it's a lot sharper in Toronto than Melbourne as well.

 

[kettal]

They have a much better welfare system in Australia. Canada can learn a lot.

 

[pilinha]

Toronto does have too many people begging for money downtown in my opinion. It's illegal, isn't it? Maybe it's time to crack down on this problem.

 

[Johnzz]

There’s a difference between homelessness and panhandling.

Seems to me, most youth in Toronto deem panhandling as sort of “coolâ€. This is unacceptable.

 

[urbanboom]

Seems to me, most youth in Toronto deem panhandling as sort of “coolâ€. This is unacceptable.

If you think that this is what the average youth aspires to this and admires this, than

a) you're out of your mind

or

b) our society is screwed

or

c) you miscommunicated what you were trying to say


I really hope the answer is c).

 

[Johnzz]

If you think that this is what the average youth aspires to

Sorry? Did I say "aspire"?

Perhaps I should be a little clearer. It seems to me, there’s much less negative connotation attached to youth begging now a days then, say 40 years ago. The only panhandlers back then had to do it or starve. How many young panhandlers in Toronto today do you see starving?

 

[urbanboom]

Sorry? Did I say "aspire"?

Perhaps I should be a little clearer. It seems to me, there’s much less negative connotation attached to youth begging now a days then, say 40 years ago. The only panhandlers back then had to do it or starve. How many young panhandlers in Toronto today do you see starving?

i don't know if they're starving. Personally, I don't monitored their food consumption, which apparently was the case 40 years ago. I'm sorry, but to say that the homeless are homeless are there because they want to be is bull.

From my experience at working in downtown missions, is that every single homeless person has some form of mental illness: be it past or present drug, physical or mental abuse or schizophrenia. The fact that we have people in the streets who physically and mentally cannot care for themselves show the moral lacking of ourselves, not them, as people like you would have me believe.

 

[Johnzz]

From my experience at working in downtown missions, is that every single homeless person has some form of mental illness

Again, I'm not referring to homelessness but to panhandling.

I find it quite pleasant walking with my young children through central London and most other European cities. However, last summer in Toronto we were verbally assaulted at most every intersection by young panhandlers. I’m sorry if my opinion upsets you, but I find the extent of this behaviour pathetic in such a prosperous country.

 

[AGTO]

If you think that this is what the average youth aspires to this and admires this, than

a) you're out of your mind

or

b) our society is screwed

or

c) you miscommunicated what you were trying to say


I really hope the answer is c).

I worked at Queen and John for a number of years. The majority of panhandlers in this area are rich kids from the suburbs who think it's cool to panhandle "for weed", while wearing hundreds of dollars in designer street wear.

 

[Roy G Biv]

The problem is only going to get worse as the Province has started cutting grants and programs in support of the homeless. But hey, at least the banks got bailed out.

 

[AGTO]

But hey, at least the banks got bailed out.

...and the U.S. car manufacturers.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

I worked at Queen and John for a number of years. The majority of panhandlers in this area are rich kids from the suburbs who think it's cool to panhandle "for weed", while wearing hundreds of dollars in designer street wear.

Same thing in my nabe, presumably suburban and out of town kids flood the Church-Wellesley Village by around mid-May and pull out in September. They don't appear to be rich kids, but who knows.

 

[gabe]

Again, I'm not referring to homelessness but to panhandling.

I find it quite pleasant walking with my young children through central London and most other European cities. However, last summer in Toronto we were verbally assaulted at most every intersection by young panhandlers. I’m sorry if my opinion upsets you, but I find the extent of this behaviour pathetic in such a prosperous country.

In my 20 years of walking around downtown TO, i find this very very very hard to believe. The only times i have seen people verbally assaulted is when they make some smartass remark to the beggars

 

[ladyscraper]

In my 20 years of walking around downtown TO, i find this very very very hard to believe.

You can't believe he was verbally assaulted at every single intersection? Next you won't believe that he won the lottery 100 times in a row!