Get to know them
Canada's homeless are people with incredible stories, and they deserve to be heard. Learn about their hardships, and understand what we can do to help.
JOSH
"The winter was brutal. We lost a lot of people; but if you have a good sense of humour and a pal to go through something with you, you can make it through anything."
Shortly after meeting Josh, the WarmWorkers team was astonished to witness someone living in such harsh conditions yet radiating positivity. Josh grew up with a father who was part of a violent biker gang scene. “I remember my dad getting calls in the middle of the night and he would grab his gun and head out of the house. I remember chasing him down the street in the middle of the night in my pajamas so many times I lost count. As part of a gang, he became violent with the things he did and that violence leaked into the house; things fell apart between him and my mom and they went their separate ways when I was just a kid. Since then I grew up in the system, that’s who raised me, the system… It was back in the days of the famous Hell’s angels patch-over where the Hells Angels threatened all the other smaller Ontario biker gangs, one of which my father was part of, Satan’s choice, who was front and center in this war. They said either we kill you and your family or you join the Hells Angels; and my father was caught in the middle of that.”
ELWYN
"Being an orphan, there's a lack of positive influences. If you need help you can call your parents or brother, but I have no social circle. Who do I call?"
The WarmWorkers team found Elwyn sitting outside a Tim Horton's on the intersection of King Street West and John Street. We learned that Elwyn was an orphan, as are about 40% of Toronto's homeless population. "The worst thing about homelessness is that everybody wants to help, but nobody ever does anything about it."
Elwyn explained that he would rather be on the streets than living in homeless shelters as they are swamped with substance use and those suffering from significant mental illness. He served on the Canadian Armed Forces where he traveled to Qatar and Kuwait in our service, and was very well versed on social and political events. We were able to get Elwyn re-united with his original adoption family in Quebec through our channels and he now has a home with his support system back in place.
CHARLES
"Living on the streets changes your priorities. You can't focus on getting a job when your basic needs aren't met."
We found Charles sitting outside at the corner of Front and Yonge with his buddy William who he’s been braving the winter with. He gave us some insight on his history; he worked/labored in the mines of Alberta, which he left due to the harsh conditions and health risks posed. Leaving everything behind, Charles came to Toronto in search of a new job and a new life, but things didn’t work out the way he had imagined. The job market here was tougher than ever during the recessionary period in which he arrived and without guidance or a support system, he found himself couch surfing and eventually homeless. Constantly job hunting, he tried to remain optimistic.
He has been living on the streets for 3 years now, desperately seeking an opportunity for stable employment. "No one will hite me due to my position. I can't shave my beard because you just can't when you're on the streets. Even the littles things mean you have to look over your shoulder to make sure nobody is coming for you."
WILLIAM
"Last winter was really bad, one guy died and two little kids too. He was right outside the hospital, curled up inside the bus stand and froze to death in there."
We found William sitting with his friend Charles (above). We learned that he had graduated from Vocational school and had experience working in trades. "I'm looking for a good place to live, you know what I mean? With good people." William explained how important Charles' company was to him and and it was evident that he strongly relied on him as a support system. He told us how the streets can evoke the violet side of people, "I'm not the type to get up and start fighting" he said. "I hate beards, I'd rather be clean shaven, but you can't on the streets. You get a couple of strokes off while you're looking in the mirror and someone comes from behind and clocks you." We heard heart wrenching stories of what he'd seen being homeless for the last 5 years.
To respect his wishes to remain anonymous, we have not included his face in the picture.
BILLY
"I remember being the small guy, got stuffed inside a locker in grade 9."
We met Billy at the corner of York and Wellington. He was sitting by a subway vent to stay warm. As we sat doen with him, he told us he had broken ribs. He woke up in pain with people kicking him, with no clue what had happened. "Every time I cough, it hurts." He grew up in Bolton, Ontario and worked for a company that assembled trailers for trucks where he was part of the team that made the frames. He explained that he lost his job and came to downtown Toronto in search of a job, but soon realized the volatility of the job market. He conversation then drifted towards the topic of homeless shelters. "It's not for me" he explained, "people complain, argue, get angry when meals are late and get rowdy. People just have no patience, and steal in the rooms."
We took this picture to respect his wishes of not being photographed.