A documentary-style photograph of two elderly people interacting outdoors. A man in a blue shirt stands holding hands with a seated woman. They appear to be siblings sharing a moment of joy and relief, reflecting the temporary housing case story.

Provided Elderly Siblings with Clarity on a City Decision

What Happened

Two elderly siblings became unhoused after being evicted from a private rental apartment. While living in a City-run hotel shelter and searching for a permanent home, they became dissatisfied with the options offered by the Toronto Shelter & Support Services (TSSS) division, and reached out to us for support.

What We Did

We reviewed TSSS’ communication with the siblings, which listed the various shelter and housing offers it made to them. The siblings had declined all the City’s offers. We also consulted with the Housing Secretariat to see if additional supports were available to the siblings.

The Result

We found that the City’s response to the siblings was appropriate, and we encouraged the siblings to accept the available temporary housing TSSS offered.

Why This Matters

Sometimes, after gathering and considering all the available evidence, we find that the City’s policies and procedures were applied fairly. Regardless of whether we ultimately find unfairness or not, all people deserve to have their issues taken seriously and investigated objectively.

Go back to Case Stories