City of Toronto, TTC, partner with LOFT Community Services to help residents sheltering on TTC

A new partnership between the city of Toronto, Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and LOFT Community Services aims to better respond to the need of vulnerable residents sheltering on TTC’s network.

Through LOFT and the city’s Multi-Disciplinary Outreach Team (M-DOT) program, individuals requiring more complex and longer-term supports will now have access to case workers and health care professionals, including registered nurses. This will ensure people are receiving the health and social supports they need long after crisis de-escalation and emergency response are complete. The new one-year partnership expands the city-funded M-DOT service, growing the specialized team of providers from various organizations that delivers services to the most vulnerable individuals.

“LOFT is pleased to expand this important outreach program with the city of Toronto and the TTC. Providing vital supports to people experiencing homelessness and mental health issues who have few options but to shelter in the TTC system will help build a healthier Toronto,” said Heather McDonald, CEO, LOFT.

TTC explains there is an unprecedented need for increased services geared to individuals with complex needs who are using the TTC for shelter and warmth. Starting this month, LOFT staff will be deployed in the transit system to connect people with services, including physical and mental health supports, through a case management approach to ongoing care.

LOFT specializes in one-on-one support with daily living, assistance navigating the healthcare and justice systems, tailored referrals to addiction health care providers and other social services, and expert and peer support for community reintegration. The city of Toronto and the TTC are hopeful the M-DOT service can help 80 to 100 people find shelter and get them the services they need.

Homelessness is not a new problem to the TTC and the city of Toronto. According to data from the city, as of March 21, almost 9,000 individuals are in Toronto’s shelter system.

“The TTC is a critical part of getting people where they need to go every day. I want to thank city staff and our new partners at LOFT for providing these vital supports for people experiencing homelessness, so the TTC can focus on what it does best, which is providing reliable, safe public transit for everyone in our city,” said Jon Burnside, chair of the TTC.

In January, the Streets to Homes and Community Safety Ambassador teams referred more than 202 people from the TTC to shelter.

The new LOFT supports are on top of measures underway by the city and TTC in recent months that include:

• Twenty Streets to Homes workers to help individuals experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness access immediate supports like water, warm clothing and referrals to indoor space.
• Twenty Community Safety Ambassadors bolstering the work of Streets to Homes teams in addressing immediate needs of individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Fifty security guards trained in mental health first aid, overdose prevention and nonviolent intervention to assist people in crisis.
• De-escalation training for all TTC chief and mobile supervisors and scheduling adjustments

Funding for the additional M-DOT support was adopted by the Toronto City Council when the 2023 budget was approved. The motion provides C$500,000 (US$366,749) in support of a one-year pilot for expanding M-DOT teams across the TTC to provide supports to persons experiencing homelessness.

The city of Toronto, the TTC and Toronto Police Service have implemented immediate, medium- and longer-term strategies to prioritize safety, including:

• Dedicating an additional 80 Toronto Police Service officers across the system to ensure high visibility patrolling system wide
• Increasing the presence of TTC Special Constables, as well as hiring additional Special Constables. This effort by the TTC includes a class of 14 new Special Constables. The TTC is also committing to hiring up to 50 additional Special Constables in 2023.
• Increasing TTC transportation and maintenance managers in the network and continuing to work on a plan to ensure more visible TTC staff presence throughout the system.
• Adding more station supervisors, chief and mobile supervisors, as well as assistant managers in subway stations to audit station security on a regular basis.
• Deploying more uniformed TTC employees throughout the system who can contact Transit Control directly to assist customers.
• Improving and adding cameras in all stations and on all vehicles.
• Having designated waiting areas on every subway platform, with recently upgraded and easier-to-use two-way communications systems that link directly to TTC staff.

“I want to thank our employees for their work as well as our partners in the city. We are continuing to find new solutions to these complex issues. It is only through working together that we will create the comprehensive solutions that are needed,” said Rick Leary, CEO, TTC.