Panhandling Has Reached Epidemic Proportions

ADD ANOTHER CAR TO THE GRAVY TRAIN

Panhandling has become a cottage industry and I would challenge anyone to find an area in the city where panhandlers have not staked out their little enterprise areas and in more and more cases it has little to do with poor impoverished individuals. I also find that a lot of kids are getting into the act......

City eyes project to assess beggars beggars
Findings could lead to restrictions on panhandling
May 19, 2007
Paul Moloney
city hall bureau

Toronto officials are proposing a pilot project this summer to assess the needs of panhandlers working the downtown core and report the findings to city council next spring.

City outreach workers would try to get a better understanding of the numbers of panhandlers, their demographic information and needs, said Phil Brown, the city's general manager of shelter, support and housing.

"It's getting a better handle on who's out there so we can help them better," Brown said yesterday of the proposal, contained in a report to be discussed by council's executive committee May 28.

The assessment would be carried out from July 3 to Sept. 17 in the area bounded by Spadina Ave. and Jarvis St. and Dundas St. to Queens Quay.

Councillor Case Ootes had previously called for a ban on panhandling in tourist areas, but the report indicates such a crackdown may be legally dicey.

The courts ruled begging for spare change is protected under freedom of expression rights in that the panhandler is calling attention to his or her impoverished condition, the report said.

City lawyers say the city may be able to restrict panhandling in tourist areas if it can prove the activity hurts business.

The report recommends that city officials approach retail strips represented by business improvement areas, as well as businesses5 in the downtown entertainment district, to seek to document financial impacts such as loss of repeat customers attributable to panhandling.

Ootes said he's encouraged action might be taken. "If there is in fact damage to the economic community, businesses and tourism, that leaves the door open to some kind of bylaw to prevent panhandling," he said.