Should we license panhandlers?

On a recent visit to downtown Toronto I was surprised by the number of panhandlers who greeted me on almost every street corner. While none of these panhandlers were threatening or aggressive, I must admit that I was cautious as I passed them.

I am accustomed to panhandlers, as I spend a lot of my time downtown meeting with clients and politicians, but this experience made me stop and think about our City and our future. If I was a little leery walking by panhandlers, I am sure that I am not alone. I can only imagine what our tourists experience on a daily basis as they visit the many great destinations in the downtown core.

Before I go any further, I want to make the distinction between panhandling and homelessness. Homeless advocates constantly try to blur the lines between panhandlers and the homeless, but the reality is that not all panhandlers are homeless, and not all homeless are panhandlers.

Homelessness is a serious and complex problem that requires a multi-pronged approach to resolve. Governments have an obligation to assist the homeless population in our City, to provide sustainable housing opportunities and resources to protect one of the most vulnerable groups in our society. But this issue is for a future blog.

The Safe Streets Act, which was enacted in 1999 regulates panhandling in Ontario, but does not go far enough to preventing panhandling. Just because a panhandler is not aggressive or threatening, it does not mean that they should be permitted to impede or even block a person’s use of the public sidewalk.

If panhandling were prohibited in the downtown core, it would require additional resources and job skills training in order to provide people with a viable alternative. Now that would be money well spent.

I have an idea!

If we cannot ban panhandling in the downtown core, why not regulate it like they do with hot dog vendors, or community groups who use city parks?

Under this new regulation, Professional Panhandlers would be required to apply for an annual permit in order to provide their “service” on City sidewalks. They would be given a designated spot on a sidewalk of their choice, and also be required to review and adhere to the Safe Streets Act. They could even carry around a special badge that makes them an official City of Toronto Panhandler.

This idea may sound a little outrageous, but so is the status quo.

About Dan Bordonali

Comments

[G. Powell]

Oh great, make an illegal and annoying activity legal. Here's a better idea, lock them up.

[Sparky]

I think this is the silliest idea I've heard in a long time. Most panhandlers I encounter are seriously disadvantaged, they are drug addicts, alcoholics and sometimes mentally ill. If these people had the skills to do what you ask they would probably have a job. Panhandling is a symptom of how ineffective our social welfare and mental health systems are. I don't believe most people beg as a career choice and asking them to buy a permit is just another slam against the poor. It is not a well thought out or useful idea.

[Pete Roth]

So we will need to setup a bureaucracy to monitor these people. Hire more bylaw inspectors to enforce licensing....etc. etc. After it's all said and done will we be better off or not?Let's stop catering to minority. It's just easier to ban it!

[Shan]

I appreciate the whole community journalism thing, it's wonderful to hear other people's thoughts and musings. Dan's latest and greatest musing is in particular highly amusing. Dan has given me something to laugh about at the water cooler with my colleagues.

[terry dickson]

Food, clothing ,accomodation , are all provided to everyone in this country . So a panhandler needs money mainly for three other things , booze , drugs , cigarettes If you give them money , you are supporting their unhealthy habits .

[N Hortness]

This is the dumbest idea I have ever heard. You can't make being poor illegal. People will do what is necessary to survive, if they cannot make money begging they will turn to crime. Half the people on the streets are mentally ill one fashion or another any ways. Do you think they care in the slightest about having the necessary paperwork?!? Anyone who thinks this would work is a fool.

[CanadianBiker]

Actually, it makes as much sense as most ideas in Toronto and more than many. Toronto is the city that requires subway buskers to audition and buy permits, runs one of the most inept and expensive ethnic food cart programs imaginable, forces Ontario drivers who happen to live within the 416 to pay an extra $60.00 a year for their license plate sticker, and forces homeowners and businesses to use specific city-mandated garbage containers. Oh wait, all those people WORK for living, so they don't count. License panhandlers? Outrageous!

[Han]

Seriously? The Star let this blog onto their homepage? That's idiotic. I know of no one who actually likes bums, hobos, homeless people or panhandlers (granted, I'm sure there's a minority who does). Nobody likes saying "no, no money today, sorry!" -- Nobody likes it when a bum holds the door open at a Tim Hortons and expects a tip, nobody likes a random smelly jerk singing to them on the street, or performing something they didn't ask for and expecting some cash. Banning this activity would be wonderful and I'm positive the vast majority of the city would agree. These people are a pain in the rear.

[C. Chevalier]

I agree with Powell, many of these panhandlers suffer serious addiction and/or health (mental and physical) problems. It would be ridiculous to think that they would have to go get a permit. Personally, while I do feel uncomfortable and at times annoyed by panhandlers, I feel that their presence is a part of city life. City life isn't always pretty, convenient or comforting, so get over it!

[MattAlexander]

The very process of accepting and processing applications costs money. Usually the way the city recovers those costs is through an application fee. Panhandlers have no money to pay such a fee. But that's almost beside the point.

You said the city isn't doing enough to prevent panhandling in the city. Why should we? You outlined some of the issues around homelessness and panhandling and you're right about all that. Many panhandlers are not homeless, but that doesn't mean they're not impoverished.

Panhandling in our major cities is great because it forces people who otherwise can't see past the end of their nose to actually confront the inequalities in our society. I don't care what tourists think, because honestly we have nothing compared to the poverty seen in American cities like Philadelphia, Washington D.C. or even San Francisco. Tourists probably think, "Canada is so nice, even the panhandlers are polite" which they are for the most part.

[Mr. Monster]

This article is written by someone so devoid of compassion and understanding for the plight of his fellow man that it's actually offensive. I would rather share the sidewalk with 100 panhandlers than one person who actually thinks the way this man does.

[K Roberts]

In Seattle's Pioneer Square area, a popular tourist area, they too were besieged with panhandlers. Not wanting to be indifferent to the plight of those truly in need, they devised sheets of coupons that sold for $5.00 each. The coupons could then be redeemed at area merchants for a sandwich, a cup of coffee, etc versus the potential of a cash donation being used for alcohol or drugs. This greatly reduced the panhandling, and was a spirit generous way to address the needs of the homeless.

[Jaimie]

Like we did with the hot dog vendors? Have you totally missed the painful process of licenseing food vendors? This is a terrible idea, however it is in good company on this "blog".

[Linda Di Nardo]

Well, it is not silly, it will create jobs for others and these people will finally pay taxes! Then if they don't have a license lock them up! At least there is a good reason for it.

[L'agent Provocateur]

Governments are not formed to license and promote unemployment. Even allowing panhandling means not doing the job, let alone licensing or "regulating" it. What the service is this article talking about? No government is needed at all if licensing the status quo is all that can be done.

[DAVE STREET]

how are they going to pay for there permit to pan handle,if they cant pan handle
till they get a perment ? catch 22 ? i love it

D.S.

[Bill Foonman]

License them? How about getting rid of them altogether? They are a serious blight on the City of Toronto.

[Reality]

@ G Powell
\While you may find it annoying, panhandling is assuredly not illegal and it is a protected form of expression under the Charter of Rights.

@ Pete Roth, you can't ban someone's expression rights, buy yourself a clue.

[Tyler]

I don't necessarily agree that most panhandlers are doing so out of a last resort situation.

There is one particular squeegee guy that comes to mind, as I see him every day at the Dupont and Lansdowne intersection. If this person has the ability to dedicate the time to panhandling with regular consistency, why can't he apply that same dedication to a real job?

Many of these people are there as a result of their own accord. There are exceptions to every rule but I will not, under any circumstance, feel 'sorry' for any of these people when there are so many opportunities in this city to eke out a decent living.

[Toronto Boy]

Should we license panhandlers? NO.

[Victoria]

bad idea. and what exactly is the 'service' they offer?

[Alex]

The idea makes sense, though it sounds a bit strange.. At least officially, panhandling is not illegal, and panhandlers do what they do for living. They might, as well, choose other "careers" if they wanted to (I do not mean CEO careers, though who knows, but 10$ per hour does not look so impossible for almost anyone).

And, because what they do is rather annoying for the rest of the Toronto residents, why not to charge panhandlers for the license.. or lock them up if they don't pay..

[A.]

An idea with merit?? ... License panhandlers for free, eliminate the "professional" pan handlers (the "shaky lady" kind from a few years back) and educate homeless persons on programs and support that’s available, provide help to find them have homes and jobs when they go and get there license.

If I knew the people that are pan handling are actually genuine I certainly would be more likely to give them a donation.

[Dan]

Yeah right! That would be about the worst move that could be made..

It would give Panhandlers rights to get in your face and they would become more of a public nuisance than they already are...

If you give them rights you might as well license all the hookers on Jarvis too and let them form a Union (no pun intended)

[len]

on weekends some panhandlers rake in $50/70 per hour -- not bad for sitting , squating,lying on a corner 5/6 hours a day so you can buy boose/drugs