Item - 2026.HS11.5

The Housing Rights Advisory Committee recommends that: 

1. City Council to reaffirm its commitment to the progressive realization of the right to adequate housing when considering strengthening governance oversight for future mega or large-scale events, as directed in Item AU9.9 – FIFA World Cup 2026 – Toronto, Governance Lessons Learned for Bidding and Planning to Host Future Events, and as established in PH11.5 – Housing TO 2020-2030 Action Plan, by ensuring any guidelines or policies developed include:

a. consideration of impacts on people experiencing homelessness, especially those experiencing unsheltered homelessness;

b. specifications for establishing a plan to minimize displacement and support people experiencing unsheltered homelessness to access shelter or housing in alignment with the City’s Interdivisional Protocol on Encampments; and

c. undertaking a FIFA 2026 audit of the impact of the mega event on the human rights of residents of Toronto particularly those who are experiencing homelessness, up to a one-year period post-event.

The Housing Rights Advisory Committee:

1. Requested relevant City Divisions including Toronto Shelter and Support Services, Social Development, and Corporate Real Estate Management, to consider the recommendations brought forward by Toronto Underhoused and Homeless Union in Item HS11.2 – Presentation from the Toronto Underhoused and Homeless Union, to support residents experiencing homelessness during FIFA 2026.

When people sleeping outdoors are removed or displaced, they are disconnected from their support networks, caseworkers, access to vital services, and face increased safety risks, including overdose for those who use drugs. It is a deeply traumatizing and destabilizing experience and is, in part, why Council rightfully adopted the Interdivisional Protocol on Encampments (IDP).

As a Council Advisory Body mandated to provide advice to City Council on how it can uphold its Toronto Housing Charter commitment to progressively realize the right to adequate housing, it is important that we understand how the City is monitoring its compliance with the Toronto Housing Charter and IDP when it hosts large scale events, such as the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Before entering into agreements for these events, the City should adopt trauma-informed, human rights-based guidelines to respond to and support people who are experiencing homelessness and residing in public spaces. These guidelines must be coordinated and consistently applied by City staff to ensure human rights are respected and upheld.

Hosting large scale international events is ultimately an opportunity to demonstrate how governments can uphold and respect the human rights of its residents, including the progressive realization of the right to adequate housing.