Emergency Shelter Services

Heart and soul. That’s Street Haven. 💛

Our leaders look after our staff, and for many of us, this team is family. Thank you to our Social Committee for hosting an incredible Townhall, and to our DEI Committee for facilitating such thoughtful activities that gave us space to reflect together.

A special congratulations to all the staff who reached years-of-service milestones, and to our Staff and Volunteer Award winners!

Here’s to all we’ve accomplished together and the work still ahead!

#StreetHaven #TeamWork #StaffAppreciation #StrongerTogether

It’s election day in Toronto! And since it’s Women’s History Month, we want to take a minute to remember the women who fought for the right to vote. 🗳️

When Canada was formed in 1867, only men could vote in federal elections. Women started organizing in the 1870s, right here in Toronto and across the country, with activists like Nellie McClung leading the way. It took decades of petitions, lobbying and public lectures, but Manitoba women won the provincial vote in 1916. Ontario followed on April 12, 1917, and by 1918 most women could vote federally.

Most, but not all. Indigenous women, among others, were shut out for decades. Indigenous women couldn’t vote federally until 1960, and it wasn’t until 1969 that every Canadian of age could vote regardless of gender or race.

Closer to home, Constance Hamilton became the first woman on Toronto City Council in 1920, and the first woman in Ontario to hold elected office. Then in 1921, Agnes Macphail became the first woman elected to the House of Commons.

Municipal elections matter more than a lot of people think. City hall decides things you deal with every day, like how often your bus comes, what happens with your local parks, libraries and community centres, and how the city responds to housing and homelessness.

At Street Haven, we know how much voting matters. Last week, the Moss Park Coalition visited our shelter to let our clients know they can vote even without a permanent address. They went over how voting works, what ID to bring and why it matters.

Everyone deserves a say in the decisions that shape their community. So please get out and vote! Polls are open from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm.

#WomensHistoryMonth #ElectionDay #Toronto #VoteTO #WomensSuffrage #StreetHaven