Grassroots group in Etobicoke under fire for setting up outside Toronto seniors housing building

Every Friday, the Food for Now program feeds and distributes warm clothing to vulnerable people in south Etobicoke’s New Toronto neighbourhood.

Every Friday for the last year and a half, a group of volunteers feeds and distributes warm clothing to vulnerable people in south Etobicoke’s New Toronto neighbourhood.

“I made a Facebook page called Food for Now and the community started to gather blankets, tarps, tents, coats, gloves and hats, and little lunch,” Daniel Lauzon, the organization’s founder, told CTV News Toronto.

Food for Now is a grassroots group that many in the community have come to depend on, including a large number of seniors.

“I get a Canada pension and that doesn’t go very far,” said 80-year-old Betty, who stopped by the program this past Friday evening.

“Sometimes I run out of food, so like today, I am here because I ran out of food.”

Another community member told CTV News Toronto that the program helps him make ends meet when times get tight.

“I sometimes take food because I’m a freelancer sometimes the bills I make them other times I’m a little short,” the man shared.

Trespassing concerns raised

Food for Now, however, has come under repeated fire for setting up outside a Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation (TSHC) apartment building at 2825 Lake Shore Blvd. W., near Fourth Street.

“People are sitting there eating their food. There’s signs that say no trespassing. They take their garbage they dump it in the back of our building,” says tenant Nadine Strople.

“This organization has been trespassed. They’ve been given a cease-and-desist letter.”

At the end of January, Lauzon received another notice, advising him that Food for Now would no longer be “tolerated” on the property. The group, however, keeps coming back.

Lauzon said Food for Now is setting up on the public sidewalk, not on TSHC property. Instead of setting up tables under a protective overhang, they now erect their tables a few feet away.

“We’re not happy about that at all because we get really bad weather and there’s an overhang for them to be under and be able to get warm,” said one supporter.

“And for the people who come out here now, they’re stuck in the cold with bad weather just for a few feet (of sidewalk). And they’re only here two hours a week.”

Many who use the program - a large number of whom are seniors - say they’re very unhappy with the building’s landlord, Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation (TSHC), which provides subsidized rental housing in a state of good repair for approximately 15,000 low and moderate-income senior households in 83 senior-designated buildings as well as access to services and support through an integrated service model.

The housing provider was established in 2021 as part of the City of Toronto’s Tenants First Plan and launched in June 2022. It partners closely with Toronto Community Housing, which owns the buildings it operates.

“The landlord gets three meals a day. There are people here that maybe get one meal a day. The landlord doesn’t have to worry,” community member Betty said.

Lauzon said he and his team of volunteers just want to help the community.

“I used to be homeless. I worked my way out of the street,” he shared.

“You give it feels good, as much as when you receive.”

Another supporter of the program said she feels lucky to have food.

“I have a food and they don’t, so it’s my privilege to take part in this,” the woman said.

More than 2,000 have signed petition

Since Feb., 3, an online petition calling for Food for Now to continue to continue to be allowed to operate at location has garnered close to 2,000 signatures.

Lauzon is set to meet with TSHC on Feb. 18.

In a statement provided to CP24, the housing provider said it “shares Food for Now’s commitment to addressing food insecurity, especially for vulnerable seniors,” saying that they partner with more than 30 food security programs across Toronto “to help senior tenants living in our buildings access essential support.”

Food for Now’s work ‘noble and vital’: TSHC

Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation went on to say that it was made aware of the group’s presence outside of its building from “tenant complaints,” notably impeding access to the building and littering.

“Though it is not quantifiable how many TSHC tenants benefit directly from Food for Now, there is no question that Food for Now’s work is both noble and vital to the community,” a spokesperson wrote.

They added that they’re “actively in contact” with Food for Now to “explore how we can work together to keep their program operating in a mutually beneficial location and in a manner that is safe for TSHC tenants.”

“We are confident that by collaborating directly with Food for Now and local community partners, we can ensure TSHC tenants and community members continue to benefit from Food for Now’s important work,” the housing provider said.