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 People with lived experience of homelessness took their concerns directly to Toronto's Housing Rights Advisory Committee, urging City officials to place dignity, housing and human rights at the centre of decisions affecting unhoused residents. Invited to present before the committee, the Toronto Underhoused and Homeless Union (TUHU) shared the experiences of more than 300 members who have faced homelessness or inadequate housing across the city. Through outreach in shelters, encampments and drop-ins, the member-led organization said it is witnessing growing displacement, increasing security enforcement around Union Station and worsening conditions for people with nowhere else to go. "As people with lived experience of homelessness and housing insecurity, we understand firsthand what is needed to improve our lives and create lasting solutions to homelessness," the organization told committee members. "Too often, however, our voices are overlooked and our experiences ...

 For Lynn Walker, Toronto's housing crisis is a daily reality shaped by survival, grief and an unwavering commitment to people living without housing. As a grandmother, survivor of the Allan Gardens encampment and founding member of the Toronto Underhoused and Homeless Union (TUHU), she has spent years fighting for people experiencing homelessness while mourning friends and community members who never made it off the streets. Regent Park TV first captured Walker on camera in 2023 during a housing justice rally in Toronto's Downtown East, where she reflected on spending more than two years living in a tent at Allan Gardens after losing her housing. "They spent four years trying to evict me," Walker said. "I ended up in Allan Gardens." Living in the encampment exposed her to both hardship and solidarity. "I've watched so many people die in the parks," she said. "They're human beings like everybody else. If they don't have a blood fam...

 Barbara Hall Park was at the centre of a wide-ranging discussion at Toronto's Economic and Community Development Committee on June 9, as residents, advocates, and health professionals shared their perspectives on safety, public access, and the future of one of downtown Toronto's most significant community spaces. The committee considered a proposal from Toronto Centre Councillor Chris Moise that would continue reviewing the community-led Echoes proposal for the Toronto AIDS Memorial and launch a public engagement process to assess local support for possible nighttime closures of the park. Located in the heart of the Church-Wellesley Village, Barbara Hall Park is home to the Toronto AIDS Memorial and the Trans Memorial, two sites that hold deep significance for the 2SLGBTQ+ community. The park also serves as an important gathering space for residents, visitors, and vulnerable community members. The meeting began with an update from city staff on the Barbara Hall Park revitaliza...