Safer communities or marginalization of the unhoused?

Those two extremes lie at the heart of debate over recent law-and-order approaches to homelessness and substance use.

Advocates for unhoused people say new laws disproportionately target people living in encampments, while supporters say they’re needed to keep residents safe.

Ontario’s Bill 6, the Safer Municipalities Act, which was passed in the legislature Tuesday by the Progressive Conservatives with some Liberal support, is focused on restricting public consumption of illicit substances and enabling police to issue directives for non-compliance that could result in charges.

The law is considered problematic by some advocates and academics, who say it will lead to unhoused people being arrested or fined for existing outside, resu

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