A law created in 1999 known as the Safe Streets Act is being challenged
by the Fair
Change Community Legal Clinic on the basis that it
discriminates against people with mental health and addiction
issues.
Leading this dispute is Gerry Williams, along with the Fair
Change Community Legal Clinic. Williams shares his experiences of being homeless and
the amount of fines he was given over 9 years while trying to
survive. Since then, he has overcome homelessness, has a job and a
place to live.
Gerry suffered from alcoholism and undiagnosed mental health
issues, but is a very different person today. Before he was able to
get the help he needed to thrive, he suffered.
He managed to be handed $65,000 in fines over 9 years ago while
homeless, all of which were given to him through provincial
offences and convictions. These included:
