Google Earth satellite view of a tent city on the eastern waterfront just west of Cherry Street

In honour of the ongoing World Urban Forum taking place this week in Vancouver, we thought we would take a look at how a first world city like Toronto manages its homeless population. Using the technology driven world's favourite "high-ground" tool, the satellite image, we looked for evidence of the informal communities next to the Don River. This image is a few years old. It shows the tent "city" south of Lakeshore Boulevard, west of Cherry Street. The homeless were shooed away after a few ugly incidents. The lot was cleared, leveled, and remains vacant.


Image from tent city web site

Of course, many of the homeless relocated to more discrete areas further north along the Don River. Out of sight out of mind. We tried to find satellite evidence of their activities. Trees obscure the satellite's view.