Diana Chan McNally

Italo Queen, Community Worker, Polymath.

XXBlueskyBlueskyInstagramInstagramSoundCloudSoundCloud
How to Vote When You're Unhoused: 2025 Federal Election Edition (PDF)
How to Vote When You're Unhoused: 2025 Federal Election Edition (PDF)
Agencies! Learn How to Support Homeless Canadians to Vote!
Agencies! Learn How to Support Homeless Canadians to Vote!
TAKE ACTION: Support Your Neighbourhood Shelter!
TAKE ACTION: Support Your Neighbourhood Shelter!
MY LATEST OP-ED: Homeless women in Toronto face early, often preventable deaths (Feb. 8, 2025)
MY LATEST OP-ED: Homeless women in Toronto face early, often preventable deaths (Feb. 8, 2025)
BUY MY BOOK
BUY MY BOOK
MY POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS ON ENCAMPMENTS
MY POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS ON ENCAMPMENTS
WATCH: The Guardian: I speak on the topic of rising anti-immigration sentiment and homelessness in Canada (August 6, 2024)
WATCH: The Guardian: I speak on the topic of rising anti-immigration sentiment and homelessness in Canada (August 6, 2024)

Latest

CTV News: Canadian cities struggling to get past 'Whac-A-Mole' solution to homeless encampments (October 27, 2024)
CTV News: Canadian cities struggling to get past 'Whac-A-Mole' solution to homeless encampments (October 27, 2024)
LISTEN: CBC Metro Morning: Why more beds still won't be enough to keep Toronto's homeless out of the cold this winter (October 25, 2024)
LISTEN: CBC Metro Morning: Why more beds still won't be enough to keep Toronto's homeless out of the cold this winter (October 25, 2024)
CBC: Toronto police special constables to be stationed in 3 ERs for mental health cases (September 22, 2024)
CBC: Toronto police special constables to be stationed in 3 ERs for mental health cases (September 22, 2024)
Radio-Canada: Le centre pour demandeurs d’asile à Pearson tarde à ouvrir (September 22, 2024)
Radio-Canada: Le centre pour demandeurs d’asile à Pearson tarde à ouvrir (September 22, 2024)
The Local: When Environmentalism is Weaponized Against the Unhoused (August 28, 2024)
The Local: When Environmentalism is Weaponized Against the Unhoused (August 28, 2024)
CP24: 'Detrimental impacts': Ontario announces closure of 10 supervised drug consumption sites (August 20, 2024)
CP24: 'Detrimental impacts': Ontario announces closure of 10 supervised drug consumption sites (August 20, 2024)
CBC: Experts call province's move to shut 5 drug consumption sites in Toronto a 'deadly mistake' (August 20, 2024)
CBC: Experts call province's move to shut 5 drug consumption sites in Toronto a 'deadly mistake' (August 20, 2024)
WATCH: CP24: People dealing with homelessness are dying younger (August 9, 2024)
WATCH: CP24: People dealing with homelessness are dying younger (August 9, 2024)

My Op-Eds

Toronto Today: Doug Ford is ‘putting lives at risk’ to win an election
Toronto Today: Doug Ford is ‘putting lives at risk’ to win an election
The Toronto Star: What you need to know about people sleeping in tents in parks — they have nowhere else to go (November 14, 2024)
The Toronto Star: What you need to know about people sleeping in tents in parks — they have nowhere else to go (November 14, 2024)
Maytree Canada: Frontline workers need policy. Policy needs frontline workers (October 22, 2024)
Maytree Canada: Frontline workers need policy. Policy needs frontline workers (October 22, 2024)
The Toronto Star: Doug Ford, homeless in Ontario spend their lives trying to meet their basic needs — which is the most relentless work there is (September 25, 2024)
The Toronto Star: Doug Ford, homeless in Ontario spend their lives trying to meet their basic needs — which is the most relentless work there is (September 25, 2024)
The Toronto Sun: Action needed now on Canadian-Ontario Housing Benefit (September 5, 2024)
The Toronto Sun: Action needed now on Canadian-Ontario Housing Benefit (September 5, 2024)
OPINION: Doug Ford is ‘putting lives at risk’ to win an election
OPINION: Doug Ford is ‘putting lives at risk’ to win an election
The Toronto Star: Upset about homeless encampments? Talk to Doug Ford (June 13, 2024)
The Toronto Star: Upset about homeless encampments? Talk to Doug Ford (June 13, 2024)
The Toronto Star: As a front-line worker in a homeless shelter, I see the dire impact of federal inaction (January 25, 2024)
The Toronto Star: As a front-line worker in a homeless shelter, I see the dire impact of federal inaction (January 25, 2024)
The Toronto Star: Toronto needs help addressing the growing homeless population before winter hits (November 6, 2023)
The Toronto Star: Toronto needs help addressing the growing homeless population before winter hits (November 6, 2023)
The Toronto Star: I ran a community program on a $10,000 budget. Toronto’s social services are dangerously underfunded (February 9, 2023)
The Toronto Star: I ran a community program on a $10,000 budget. Toronto’s social services are dangerously underfunded (February 9, 2023)
The Globe and Mail: An Ontario ruling defending those living in encampments is only a partial victory (January 31, 2023)
The Globe and Mail: An Ontario ruling defending those living in encampments is only a partial victory (January 31, 2023)
The Toronto Star: A catastrophic increase in visible homelessness (January 11, 2023)
The Toronto Star: A catastrophic increase in visible homelessness (January 11, 2023)
The Toronto Star: Washrooms, menstrual and incontinence supplies are a basic human right. Let’s ensure Toronto’s unhoused population has access (Jan. 23 2022)
Toronto.com: Times of conflict alter the trajectories of lives and communities for generations to come (Nov. 11 2021)
The Toronto Star: Violent, militarized park encampment clearings won’t end homelessness in Toronto. Here’s a human rights approach (July 26 2021)

DJ Stuff

Automaticamore on YouTube
Automaticamore on YouTube
Automaticamore on Soundcloud
Automaticamore on Soundcloud
 
WATCH: "Records," a documentary by filmmaker Alan Zweig I'm featured in as the requisite Italo-Disco nerd
WATCH: "Records," a documentary by filmmaker Alan Zweig I'm featured in as the requisite Italo-Disco nerd
Stamp The Wax: Digger's Directory Interview w/ Automaticamore
Stamp The Wax: Digger's Directory Interview w/ Automaticamore
Music is My Sanctuary: Interview w/ Automaticamore
Music is My Sanctuary: Interview w/ Automaticamore

Live TV Appearances & Presentations

WATCH: I speak on the topic of 'Advocating from the Front-line' for Maytree Canada's 'Five Good Ideas' series
WATCH: I speak on the topic of 'Advocating from the Front-line' for Maytree Canada's 'Five Good Ideas' series
WATCH: CBC Live: A harm reduction worker on why she believes homeless encampments are on the rise in Toronto (April 11, 2024)
WATCH: CBC Live: A harm reduction worker on why she believes homeless encampments are on the rise in Toronto (April 11, 2024)
WATCH: CP24: Extreme cold puts spotlight on homelessness (February 3, 2023)
WATCH: CP24: Extreme cold puts spotlight on homelessness (February 3, 2023)
LISTEN: The National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health's 'Mind the Disruption' Podcast: Disrupting for Racial & Climate Justice (March 26, 2024)
WATCH: CP24: 3 warming centres not enough (Jan 25, 2023)
WATCH: CP24: 3 warming centres not enough (Jan 25, 2023)
CP24: 'Not the right time' to close temporary shelters (January 4, 2023)
CP24: 'Not the right time' to close temporary shelters (January 4, 2023)
CP24: City needs to open more warming centres: advocate (December 22, 2022)
CP24: City needs to open more warming centres: advocate (December 22, 2022)
CP24: Activists weigh in on encampment removal (July 21 2021)
CP24: Activists Demand Better After Encampment Cleared (July 14 2021)

News Radio & Podcast Appearances

LISTEN: CBC Metro Morning: If you come across someone using illegal drugs on the TTC, is there anything you can do to act? (April 5, 2024)
LISTEN: CBC Metro Morning: If you come across someone using illegal drugs on the TTC, is there anything you can do to act? (April 5, 2024)
LISTEN: Spacing Radio: What does change cost? (January 30, 2024)
LISTEN: Spacing Radio: What does change cost? (January 30, 2024)
LISTEN: CBC Metro Morning: First-hand stories from refugees: a jurisdictional fight over funding has left these refugees sleeping on the streets of a busy Toronto intersection (July 11, 2023)
LISTEN: CBC Metro Morning: First-hand stories from refugees: a jurisdictional fight over funding has left these refugees sleeping on the streets of a busy Toronto intersection (July 11, 2023)
Toronto Star: ‘It’s just an overall explosion in homelessness’: Encampment numbers in Toronto have more than doubled over last March (April 11, 2024)
Toronto Star: ‘It’s just an overall explosion in homelessness’: Encampment numbers in Toronto have more than doubled over last March (April 11, 2024)
LISTEN: CBC Metro Morning: This outreach worker is crowdfunding to feed, provide essentials for refugees on the street (July 10, 2023)
LISTEN: CBC Metro Morning: This outreach worker is crowdfunding to feed, provide essentials for refugees on the street (July 10, 2023)
LISTEN: Toronto Today with Greg Brady: Novotel Resident Carried Away By Police Sparks Shock & Anger (November 28, 2022)
LISTEN: Toronto Today with Greg Brady: Novotel Resident Carried Away By Police Sparks Shock & Anger (November 28, 2022)
LISTEN: CBC Ontario Today: What's your city doing about homelessness? (October 13, 2022)
The John Oakley Show ft. Diana Chan McNally (August 31, 2022)
The John Oakley Show ft. Diana Chan McNally (August 31, 2022)
 
LISTEN: CBC Metro Morning Toronto will hire security guards to patrol parks, but housing advocate says there's better uses for that money (May 13 2022)
LISTEN: Toronto Today on AM640 Radio: Surveillance of encampments in public parks (May 13 2022)
LISTEN: Toronto Today on AM640 Radio: Surveillance of encampments in public parks (May 13 2022)
 
LISTEN: A podcast I recorded calling for personal hygiene products to be made free for low-income and unhoused people (Feb. 9 2022)
TVO Podcasts: Homing in on houselessness (Nov. 2021)
 
Spacing Radio Podcast: I speak about A Path Forward and Encampments (Aug 5 2021)
 
AM 640 Radio: Chaos erupts again as Toronto officials, officers clear homeless encampment at Lamport Stadium (July 22 2021)

Other Media Appearances

WATCH: CityNews: 'It's been a disaster': Reports of three deaths among Toronto's unhoused population amid heatwave (June 19, 2024)
WATCH: CityNews: 'It's been a disaster': Reports of three deaths among Toronto's unhoused population amid heatwave (June 19, 2024)
CP24: Toronto politicians, advocates and other prominent figures share important lesson imparted by their fathers (June 14, 2024)
CP24: Toronto politicians, advocates and other prominent figures share important lesson imparted by their fathers (June 14, 2024)
CBC: New study gives 22 recommendations to make Toronto shelters more safe (April 30, 2024)
CBC: New study gives 22 recommendations to make Toronto shelters more safe (April 30, 2024)
WATCH: CityNews: Violent incidents at Toronto shelters increase with overcrowding (April 30, 2024)
WATCH: CTV News: Physical assaults on Toronto shelter staff up more than 400 per cent as 'critical incidents' rise (April 30, 2024)
WATCH: CTV News: Physical assaults on Toronto shelter staff up more than 400 per cent as 'critical incidents' rise (April 30, 2024)
CBC: Number of tents set up by Toronto's unhoused population rising, advocates 'unsurprised' (April 12, 2024)
CBC: Number of tents set up by Toronto's unhoused population rising, advocates 'unsurprised' (April 12, 2024)
WATCH: CTV News: Advocacy groups concerned as TTC fare inspectors, special constables will be equipped with body-worn cameras starting in May (April 12, 2024)
WATCH: CTV News: Advocacy groups concerned as TTC fare inspectors, special constables will be equipped with body-worn cameras starting in May (April 12, 2024)
WATCH: Global News: TTC tests out body cameras as part of new use-of-force policy (April 12, 2024)
WATCH: Global News: TTC tests out body cameras as part of new use-of-force policy (April 12, 2024)
Ricochet: In an age of collapse, does philanthropy still make sense? (October 11, 2023)
Ricochet: In an age of collapse, does philanthropy still make sense? (October 11, 2023)
WATCH: Global News: Toronto mayor’s office scrambles to enact refugee policy passed months ago (September 8, 2023)
WATCH: Global News: Toronto mayor’s office scrambles to enact refugee policy passed months ago (September 8, 2023)
CBC: Asylum seekers left sleeping on Toronto streets amid funding stalemate between city, feds (July 12, 2023)
CBC: Asylum seekers left sleeping on Toronto streets amid funding stalemate between city, feds (July 12, 2023)
CTV News: 'A huge shame': Asylum seekers sleeping on the streets of Toronto as city, feds argue over who should foot the bill (July 8, 2023)
CTV News: 'A huge shame': Asylum seekers sleeping on the streets of Toronto as city, feds argue over who should foot the bill (July 8, 2023)
CBC News: As extreme heat gets worse, expert calls for access to cooling as a human right (July 7, 2023)
CBC News: As extreme heat gets worse, expert calls for access to cooling as a human right (July 7, 2023)
WATCH: Global News Toronto: ‘People aren’t going to disappear’: Toronto community divided over encampment response  (June 29, 2023)
WATCH: Global News Toronto: ‘People aren’t going to disappear’: Toronto community divided over encampment response  (June 29, 2023)
The Trillium: What the Ford government is doing for, and to, Toronto on homelessness (June 21, 2023)
The Trillium: What the Ford government is doing for, and to, Toronto on homelessness (June 21, 2023)
The Toronto Star: Is mayoral hopeful Bailão a consensus builder, or keeper of Toronto’s status quo? (June 21, 2023)
The Toronto Star: Is mayoral hopeful Bailão a consensus builder, or keeper of Toronto’s status quo? (June 21, 2023)
The Toronto Star: Toronto to run out of money to help homeless people pay market rents after only two months, city says (May 4, 2023)
The Toronto Star: Toronto to run out of money to help homeless people pay market rents after only two months, city says (May 4, 2023)
The Toronto Star: Strathcona residents say Toronto shelter hotels failed promise of permanent housing (March 23, 2023)
The Toronto Star: Strathcona residents say Toronto shelter hotels failed promise of permanent housing (March 23, 2023)
CTV News: Heavy rain hammers Toronto after city rejects 24/7 warming centres (February 9, 2023)
CTV News: Heavy rain hammers Toronto after city rejects 24/7 warming centres (February 9, 2023)
WATCH: CityNews: Budget concerns include services for those living on Toronto streets (January 11, 2023)
Toronto Star: Facing an ‘unprecedented’ shelter crunch, city proposes extending leases at temporary sites (January 4, 2023)
Toronto Star: Facing an ‘unprecedented’ shelter crunch, city proposes extending leases at temporary sites (January 4, 2023)
West End Phoenix: A Fully Housed Toronto (Dec 16, 2022)
West End Phoenix: A Fully Housed Toronto (Dec 16, 2022)
WATCH: CP24: 'Pretty devastating': 20 tenants displaced, non-profit damaged following fatal fire in downtown Toronto (December 13, 2022)
WATCH: CP24: 'Pretty devastating': 20 tenants displaced, non-profit damaged following fatal fire in downtown Toronto (December 13, 2022)
WATCH: CTV News: Fatal fire hits some of city's most vulnerable (December 13, 2022)
WATCH: CTV News: Fatal fire hits some of city's most vulnerable (December 13, 2022)
WATCH: CityNews: All Saints fire leaves one person dead, two injured and 18 displaced (December 13, 2022)
WATCH: Global News Toronto: 1 dead, 2 hospitalized after fire at supportive housing building (December 13, 2022)
WATCH: Global News Toronto: 1 dead, 2 hospitalized after fire at supportive housing building (December 13, 2022)
WATCH: Global News Toronto: ‘We jumped through so many hoops’: Homeless couple recount process in accessing social housing (December 6, 2022)
WATCH: Global News Toronto: ‘We jumped through so many hoops’: Homeless couple recount process in accessing social housing (December 6, 2022)
The Globe and Mail: Hamilton doctors track homeless deaths amid national push for governments to collect more data (November 12, 2022)
The Globe and Mail: Hamilton doctors track homeless deaths amid national push for governments to collect more data (November 12, 2022)
CBC Toronto: City of Toronto asked to drop plan to deter encampments by posting security guards in parks (September 3, 2022)
The Breach: Toronto’s shelter hotels promised safe transitional housing—what happened? (September 1, 2022)
The Toronto Star: Ontario confident in monkeypox vaccine strategy, Moore says, but some seek expansion (August 8, 2022)
CTV News: Advocates in Toronto urge city to rethink 'inaccessible' heat strategy, bring back cooling centres (August 8, 2022)
The Toronto Star: Toronto says person with monkeypox at homeless shelter moved to isolation centre (August 1, 2022)
The Toronto Star: There has been a big spike in homeless deaths in Toronto and other cities. The reasons go beyond a toxic drug supply (July 14, 2022)
The Toronto Star: City under fire for awarding $1 million in contracts for private security for Toronto’s parks (June 9 2022)
WATCH: GlobalNews Toronto: Housing advocates respond to Toronto’s dossier on homeless encampment in Trinity Bellwoods Park (May 25 2022)
The Toronto Star: Toronto’s homeless encampments are back on the fringes. Here’s why that’s a problem (May 23 2022)
The Toronto Star: Private security guards won’t stop homelessness in Toronto — homes will (May 13 2022)
WATCH: CityNews Toronto: Housing advocates blast park patrol plans (May 12 2022)
Toronto Star: ‘Undignified’ lack of personal hygiene products for the homeless tackled in city budget talks (Feb. 9 2022)
Toronto Star: Toronto wants to allow the simple possession of illegal drugs. So why does the city still treat homelessness as a crime? (Dec. 7 2021)
CityNews: Council divided over encampment clearing inquiries (Oct 1 2021)
Global News: Toronto officials, police under fire for tactics used to clear homeless encampments (July 22 2021)
City News: Toronto Park evictions continue (July 21 2021)
Toronto.com: 'I ain't going to no shelter': evicted Alexandra Park resident rejects city offer (July 21 2021)
Global News: City of Toronto officials and police move to end Alexandra Park encampment, 9 arrested (Video Interview Embedded in Article) (July 21 2021)
Toronto Star: Scuffles break out in Trinity Bellwoods after Toronto police and city staff descend on the park to remove encampments (June 22 2021)
CBC News: Several arrested, tactical units mobilize as Toronto evicts encampment residents from Trinity Bellwoods park (June 22 2021)
CTV News: Several arrests made after Toronto clears out large encampment at Trinity Bellwoods Park (June 22 2021)
CBC Saturday News: Speaking About Heat Risks for Unhoused People (June 7 2021)
NOW Magazine: There’s no such thing as affordable housing in Toronto (November 20 2020)
BlogTO: What to know about the tent encampments in Trinity Bellwoods Park (September 9 2020)
CBC Toronto News: Speaking About The Overdose Crisis During COVID-19 (May 18 2020)
NOW Magazine: How Toronto’s party scene can get safer using harm reduction

Live Tweeting Encampment Evictions

Twitter Thread: My Live Coverage of the Lamport Stadium Encampment Eviction (July 22 2021)
Twitter Thread: My Live Coverage of the Alexandra Park Encampment Eviction (July 21 2021)
Twitter Thread: My Live Coverage of the Trinity Bellwoods Encampment Eviction (June 22 2021)

View on mobile