The province must address problem of unlicensed homes offering services to vulnerable residents, Mayor Tory says

More spaces are needed to provide supports to the elderly and people with mental health issues and that is the Ontario government's responsibility, Tory said

Thestar.com
July 17, 2017
By Jennifer Pagliaro

Mayor John Tory said it’s up to the province to provide more space for those in need of supportive housing amid concerns over unlicensed group homes operating within the city.

“It’s not acceptable for people to be living in sort of deplorable, unsafe, unhealthy conditions like that,” Tory told the Star. “We would certainly hope no hospital is in any way involved in discharging people to places that have been described the way your story sets out.”

His comments follow a Star story Monday that revealed an OPP probe that focused on two people operating homes in Scarborough. Police cited complaints and documentation of unsanitary living conditions including overcrowding, the stench of human feces, dead mice, a lack of qualified staff and “inadequate food supply” - conditions officials described as “deplorable.”

The OPP investigation also found hospitals and community groups are referring people to the unlicensed homes without adequate alternatives.

The provincial Long Term Homes Care Act sets out that “no person shall operate a residential premises for persons requiring nursing care or in which nursing care is provided to two or more unrelated persons.”

But ministry and police officials came to a “consensus,” according to an OPP brief obtained by the Star’s Betsy Powell, that enforcing the law would “result in significant harm to vulnerable disadvantaged people who have no other alternative housing options available.”

“The real issue at the nub of this is the lack of availability of what we call assistive or supportive housing,” Tory said, adding that is the province’s responsibility and nobody wants to see anyone put out on the street.

Tory said the city is adhering to its responsibilities to make sure buildings are up to code and free from fire safety violations through inspections and enforcement.

More than 50 fire code violations have been laid against Comfort Residential Group Home properties and the operators, including removing several people from the basement of one home. The owners of comfort residential say they are providing good care and filling a void in the community.

“I think our people are doing our jobs when these places are brought to our attention,” Tory said of city staff.

The mayor, who has publicly sparred with Premier Kathleen Wynne over funding for transit and housing, applauded the province’s budget plan to spend $45 million over three years, in part to fund supportive housing for those with mental health and addictions issues.

Critics have said little has been done in terms of long-term care shortages outside of expensive, private retirement care homes.

“What’s going to solve the problem is some alternate form of accommodation for these people,” Tory said. “Our bottom line would be that we would not accept people living in conditions that are unsafe.”

“I think the answer best rests with the health-care system because it’s an extension of that. These people are not well enough to go home on their own, therefore they’re still in need of some assistance from the health-care system and it’s the health-care system they’re going to get it from, not the Toronto zoning enforcement office.”