More funding for mental health and housing services needed to stop TTC violence

BY PAUL JUNOR

The disturbing increases in violence, assault, and attacks on the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) have received widespread media attention.

Experts regarding the rise in transit violence have expressed concerns.

Dr. Sandy Simpson, Chair in Forensic Psychiatry at CAMH, and the University of Toronto mentioned that factors such as: homelessness, mental illness and addiction are

Involved. She states, “It’s that combination that is giving rise to this (violence). It’s really impossible to know how much each of those things is to blame, but it’s not a single issue.”

He acknowledges that there is a correlation between drug addiction, involving crystal meth and crack, and violent acts. Furthermore, individuals who are homeless and living in poverty without social support and limited access to mental health services are particularly vulnerable.

Dr. Sampson believes that a guaranteed income for these individuals would be helpful.

He states,” Frankly, my top solution would be a universal basic income. That would make a dramatic difference to the desperate struggles that desperate people get into.”

Many social advocates and mental health professionals have expressed concerns about individuals who use the TTC as home and become drunk and upset when they are confronted by authorities. The threat level increased in these individuals who have either untreated mental illness, drug use, or a combination of both, which make them perceived as a potential threat to others. It is shocking that those with mental health illnesses in the City of Toronto have to wait between 10 to 12 months to get help from the Assertive Community Treatment(ACT) team.

The TTC has taken steps to address the increased violence by adding an extra 80 officers. August Puranauth, a transit advocate with TTC riders shared, “Increased policing is just a reactionary measure. It does not do anything to directly address the root causes of crime.”

He notes that the move may backfire and cause additional problems. He continues, “Per, the TTC’s own reports, more policing on the system will actually make it more unsafe for people who are Black or Indigenous because they often are more likely to get into more incidents with the police.” He believes that an increase in services rather than cutbacks will be beneficial.

Cameron MacLeod, who works with CodeRedTo, a transit advocacy group, believes that it is important to get to the roots of systemic issues. He states, “The TTC can’t be a housing agency. The TTC can’t be a mental health agency. I’d  like to see the city and the province and the federal government look at other social services that we have and treat them properly, fund them properly, so the TTC doesn’t have to do the job of other agencies while it’s getting its budget cut.”

Police are not mental health professionals and do not deal with the deeper issues that contribute to the rise in TTC violence. He concludes, “Paying overtime to a bunch of police officers to make up for failings of mental health supports, or housing supports is maybe not a good use of the budget overall.”

A petition was launched by two Toronto Metropolitan University undergraduate female students requesting the public help in pressuring the City of Toronto to increase the funding for mental health, and housing services as a prerequisite step to significantly decrease the number of violence incidents on the TTC.

The petition notes, “Through research, it is evident that much of this violence can be tied to the lack of mental health services and housing opportunities available. People are sleeping on the TTC because they have nowhere else to go and they’re feeling that the world is structured against them.”