Put why are these even allowed to be put up?
It's like they wait for weeks and weeks before doing anything.
What do you mean 'allowed'?
They aren't legal; the City isn't telling anyone to do it; and no one is asking the CIty's permission.
I'm not sure where 'allowed' comes into it.
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As to how long it takes to take them down..............I won't get bogged into any discussion on merits.......
'The City' doesn't always know when someone sets up camp, even in an obvious spot. There is no one whose job it is to drive along the Lakeshore or University or hike through a valley looking for encampments.
Once The City is aware of an issue, people whose job it is to reach out gently to people in these situations and see if they are willing to go to shelters will be dispatched to the location, probably within a few days, but it may take longer sometimes.
If that goes well (and sometimes it does); that's that.
If, however, people refuse to move; that necessitates a meeting of many people representing social services, shelter, the police, whatever department's land is involved (parks or transportation most likely), as well as waste management who will tasked with cleaning up the site; and often Toronto Fire may be involved if there's hazardous waste issues (propane tanks); and paramedics may also be on standby, garbage/dump trucks need to be arranged, shelter beds held open etc etc.
An operation like this takes a bit of time to put together; it can be done in a hurry in a day or 2; but only if its deemed a very high priority from the top; and then it means other work is put on hold to get that done.
There is lag time to deliver such an action, typically a few weeks; but that's from the time there's a complaint and a process initiated.
Sometimes a site is up much longer; but usually that's because no one has said anything.
Or because there are special circumstances.
Example; was a well known encampment in a valley, where there were complaints, but no action taken over the winter, so a delay of a few months.
This was because the slope was a mixture, depending on the day, of mud and/or ice.
It would have been dangerous for staff to descend such a slope and royal PITA to get the equipment and people out.
You make it sound like such an easy and flip thing to do; just go collapse someone's tent and threaten to arrest someone, takes 2 people and 5 minutes............not so much.