Meeting the Challenge of Rising Homelessness in Toronto

Roundtable Luncheon with Dr. Stephen Hwang, Jamaal Myers and David Reycraft

C.D. Howe Institute events and webinars are open to members and their guests.

Please follow this link or contact events@cdhowe.org to register.

As homelessness continues to rise in Toronto, front-line systems are under increasing pressure to respond to complex and overlapping needs. This C.D. Howe Institute roundtable brings together experts from across sectors to explore practical, coordinated solutions grounded in real-world experience. The discussion will offer a candid, solutions-focused exchange on how Toronto can respond more effectively to a growing challenge.

Dr. Stephen Hwang, Director, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael’s Hospital

Dr. Stephen Hwang is Director of St. Michael’s Hospital’s MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Canada’s largest research centre focused on health equity and the social determinants of health. He is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto and has worked as a physician serving patients experiencing homelessness for more than 3 decades. Dr. Hwang is a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Homelessness, Housing and Health, leading a team that develops and evaluates interventions to to end chronic homelessness and to improve the health of people experiencing homelessness.

Jamaal Myers, City Councillor, Scarborough North; Chair, Toronto Transit Commission

Jamaal Myers was elected as the councillor for Ward 23, Scarborough North on October 24th, 2022.

Jamaal was born and raised in Scarborough and regularly takes the TTC to get around his community. Having grown up in Toronto Community Housing, from a young age he understood education as a key to upward mobility and the importance of properly funded public services.

With the love and support of his family, access to strong public schools, loans, scholarships and summer jobs, including three summers cleaning trains at the TTC, he earned degrees from the University of Western Ontario, the London School of Economics and New York University School of Law.

After graduating from NYU, he worked in New York City as a corporate lawyer at two global law firms before returning to Scarborough in 2018. For over a year, he volunteered as a community organizer and worked with residents and community groups to improve access to health care, transit, affordable housing and good jobs.

Prior to being elected, Jamaal served as a senior lawyer at the Toronto-Dominion Bank where he worked on challenging Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) matters including preparing for a changing climate, protecting human rights and corporate governance. He also served as Vice Chair of TAIBU Community Health Center, a director with the Scarborough Business Association and a member of the Community Police Liaison Committee for 42 Division.
Jamaal was appointed as Chair of the TTC in August 2023 and is the second black TTC Chair in its history. He is also the first TTC Chair to simultaneously be appointed as Chair of the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee. He also serves on other city boards and committees including Planning and Housing and Audit.

His work as a city councillor is focused on improving the quality of life, safety and affordability of neighbourhoods for residents in his beloved community of Scarborough North.

David Reycraft, President, Toronto Shelter Network (TSN)

David Reycraft is the President of the Toronto Shelter Network (TSN), an organization representing the interests of 50+ emergency shelters and providers in the City of Toronto. David has worked on the frontlines of Toronto's Shelter and Supportive Housing Systems in Management and Senior Director roles for more than 3 decades. Today his interests focus on homelessness prevention, population responses to homelessness and access to the social determinants of health. Operationalizing the Right to Housing will transform lives and make our city a safer and more livable home for everyone.