After advocating against the use of the Notwithstanding Clause to clear encampments, a group of local leaders have formed a new group: the Ontario Coalition for the Rights of Homeless People (OCRHP).
The broad-based coalition, with leadership from nine Councillors, including Chatham Councillor Alysson Storey, and Toronto-based community worker Diana Chan McNally, is launching a campaign for the 2025 Ontario election.
“The idea of taking away the human rights of the most vulnerable in our society is unacceptable,” stated Rory Nisan, Deputy Mayor, Burlington and OCRHP Steering Committee Chair, in a press release.
“What makes it worse is that by putting people into housing first and providing them with adequate care, we can actually save money and take pressure off our health and justice systems. The question is, what are we waiting for?”
The coalition’s campaign will focus on the provincial government’s record on housing and homelessness.
They will ask local MPP candidates from across Ontario to commit to building housing, to uphold homeless people’s human rights, and to have a clear, compassionate plan to reduce homelessness.
To launch the coalition and the campaign, the coalition was set to host an online press conference on Friday, February 14, 2025 at 9 a.m.
