The claim

Mayoral candidate Doug Ford (open Doug Ford's poilcard) says the city’s shelter system isn’t full, notwithstanding claims made by advocates for homeless people that more beds are needed because the system is overstressed and often turns people away.

Mayor Rob Ford (open Rob Ford's poilcard) ’s administration has rejected the criticism. In a debate in Yorkville this week candidate Doug Ford said: “What people don’t realize is our shelters are not full.”

Who’s right?

The smell test

The city publishes a daily occupancy report. The one for Wednesday, Oct. 1, showed 94 per cent occupancy — with 4,115 of 4,396 beds occupied.

That’s the overall occupancy, but there is quite a variation depending on the type of shelter. Shelters for families and for couples were 100 per cent full and women’s shelters were 97 per cent full.

Shelters for men, the largest part of the system, had 90 per cent occupancy, with 1,581 of 1,747 beds occupied. Youth shelters had the lowest occupancy, at 88 per cent, or 464 of 525 beds taken.

To John Campey, executive director of Social Planning Toronto, the numbers add up to a shortage of beds.

“It’s inconceivable that you have shelters at 100 per cent and nobody has been turned away,” Campey said. “People are sent to other forms of shelters that aren’t appropriate or are not being served.

“You can’t send families to a youth shelter or women to a men’s shelter. There is still very much a shortage of shelter beds.”

Councillor Joe Mihevc (open Joe Mihevc's poilcard) , who has served on council’s community development committee, which oversees shelters, said 90 per cent occupancy is a key benchmark.

“Once you break 90 per cent, it has been our experience at the city that people do not get a bed,” Mihevc said. “You can’t go beyond 90 per cent without basically pushing people onto the street.”

The city has a formal policy that occupancy of shelters should not exceed 90 per cent of capacity.

“We’ve been directed by council to aim to have occupancy levels of no more than 90 per cent. That’s what we’ve been told to do,” said Patricia Anderson, partnership development manager in the shelter, support and housing division.

“What you can say is council considers over 90 per cent to be avoided,” Anderson said.

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The verdict

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