Stop Criminalizing Homelessness

Petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario: Oppose Bill 6, the Safer Municipalities Act

To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

Whereas Bill 6 would either fine or jail extremely vulnerable people for being homeless;

Whereas Bill 6 ignores the provincial underfunding of housing, health care, and mental health services;

Whereas people fined or jailed for being homeless would often still have to sleep outside without access to shelter beds or supportive housing;

Whereas giving people with substance use disorders criminal records would only further trap them in poverty by limiting their access to future jobs and housing;

Whereas investing in supportive housing, harm reduction, and mental health care is more cost-effective and the real solution to ending chronic homelessness.

Will you sign?

We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

  1. Immediately block the advancement and implementation of Bill 6;
  2. Build and provide operational funding for supportive housing to move the over 81,500 people (AMO 2025 study) from tents to safe and affordable homes;
  3. Fully fund supportive housing, addiction treatment, and mental health services;
  4. Expand access to low-barrier addiction treatment programs
  5. Commit to a comprehensive, evidence-based overdose strategy aligned with public health best practices and harm reduction;
  6. Collaborate with Indigenous governments and urban Indigenous organizations to fund culturally appropriate, Indigenous-led housing and health care;