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Grant, 67, poses for a photo holding an outfit from his childhood at St. Joseph St. and Yonge St. in Toronto. Grant, who recently lost his adoptive mother, discovered that she had held on to this cherished textile, the outfit he was wearing as a child when he was adopted over six decades ago. Grant has been in and out of housing over the years and is currently living in subsidized housing.
For Torontonians that are homeless or precariously housed, the safeguarding of personal belongings can be a struggle, whether they fall prey to theft or removal from city encampment sweeps. These are a few of the items that some are careful to protect. Whether sleeping on the street, in tents at a park, or in shelters, the theft of items belonging to people living in those situations is common. If a person is living outside, they may return to the area where they were staying to find some of their belongings missing, or even have all of them swept away when the city carries out the clearing of an encampment. With shelters, theft is also a concern, with the additional hinderance of the place implementing limits to the amount that you can bring inside with you (typically two bags). Going to get food could mean risking the loss of personal items, a reality many homeless in Toronto face. To help prevent theft, many rely on neighbours, also living outside in tents, to keep an eye out for them when they leave the area. And while some of the belongings that are held close may be a cherished reminder of a previous time, quite often, they are instead items that are functional, rather than sentimental. -
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Dan, poses for a photo with his phone outside the All Saints Church-Community Centre in Toronto. Dan, whose sleeping arrangements have included the city’s transit system, would keep his phone inside his pillowcase for safe keeping as he was worried about it being stolen. “You’re always watching your back” says Dan, who recently moved into housing. -
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Bryan, 52, poses for a photo standing next to his buggy at the park at Allen Gardens in Toronto. To Bryan, the trolley is functional rather than sentimental, which he says he uses it to make money. Like many others living in parks, Bryan says the city has swept his campsite before, saying that each time "you gotta start from fucking scratch.” Bryan, who is currently living in a tent at the park, relies on neighbours (also living in tents in the park) to watch over his belongings while he’s away or sleeping. -
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Tyme, 70, poses for a photo with a ring, one of the few possessions that he has and keeps with him, in Toronto. He says he has been homeless since 1995 and doesn’t hold on to many belongings, “the lighter you travel, the better off you are.” Tyme, who has had his tent cleared by the city, no longer uses a tent when sleeping outside, instead opting for a doorway. -
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Stephanie, 34, poses for a photo with her laptop at a park in Toronto. The laptop is an important belonging of hers as it contains photos of her kids as well as a video of her giving birth. Stephanie says she has been homeless for about a year and a half and is currently living in a tent at a park in the city, “we’re just trying to live. Just like everyone else, right. And we want to secure our stuff just like anyone else would in their home.” -
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Michelle, 56, poses for a photo holding the cross she wears around her neck at a park in Toronto. Michelle had been dealing with addiction and at one point found herself on her hands and knees saying “Jesus, I need your help.” Since then, Michelle says everything has been going pretty good. Michelle is currently living in a tent at the park at Allen Gardens. -
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Lartese, 42, poses for a photo holding onto one of his bikes at the park at Allen Gardens in Toronto. Lartese is able to make use of belongings that others throw out. “You can try to cherish things. But then if you get attached to anything, it becomes a bigger heartbreak because it’s always going to go." Lartese is currently living in the park at Allen Gardens. -
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Murad, 49, poses for a photo holding onto a new pair of underwear he just received from an outreach worker in Toronto. Murad, who keeps most of his items at a friend's home, is an abuse survivor and the underwear he owns is very important to him. Murad says that he has had underwear of his taken before, “it’s like somebody taking my sexuality.” Murad collapses his tent each morning.
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