BRAMPTON – A long-standing Brampton outreach organization says it has been unfairly blamed for downtown safety concerns after receiving a second legal threat from the City of Brampton accusing it of contributing to public disorder.
Regeneration Outreach Community, which operates from Grace United Church at 156 Main Street North, says a recent city letter falsely claims that a rise in 311 and police calls is linked to the non-profit’s work with vulnerable residents. The letter, signed by Deputy City Solicitor Colleen Grant, warned that “illegal and inappropriate behaviour” in the area must stop — and stated that responsibility lies with Regeneration and Grace United Church.
Regeneration CEO Ted Brown called the accusation “slanderous” and “deeply irresponsible,” saying the city is deflecting blame for systemic social issues. “We are feeding people, caring for people, and connecting them to services,” Brown said. “We’re not responsible for the lack of housing, the lack of addiction treatment options, or the behaviour of people once they leave our premises.”
The city’s correspondence claims that 311 calls near Grace United and Regeneration have more than tripled this year, rising from about 40 in 2024 to 145 between January and September 2025. It also cites 244 police calls so far this year, compared to 393 in all of 2024. Brown disputes the figures, saying the data is misleading and that the organization has filed a freedom of information request with Peel Regional Police to verify how many incidents are actually linked to Regeneration.
“The city’s numbers are a very tainted version of the truth,” Brown said. “Where did these calls happen? What boundaries were used? We’re not responsible for people hanging out at the 7-Eleven down the street.” He also pointed out an error in the letter that referenced “Central Public School,” a facility that has not operated as a school in more than three decades and now functions as a community centre.
The outreach program — which has operated in Brampton for over 15 years — provides meals, clothing, hygiene access, and connections to housing and healthcare services. Brown stressed that the organization does not distribute alcohol, drugs, or paraphernalia. “To paint us as some kind of drug-infested operation is not only false, it’s insulting,” he said.
Community frustration over downtown disorder has been growing. In July, a residents’ group blamed Regeneration’s clients for disruptive activity near the church, prompting City Council — led by Coun. Rowena Santos — to issue the first legal warning. Brown said Regeneration was not invited to that community meeting and had no opportunity to respond before being publicly targeted.
While social services and homelessness fall under provincial jurisdiction, the city has told Regeneration it must get the situation “under control.” Brown argues that the city is ignoring the root causes — chronic housing shortages, addiction crises, and lack of mental health supports. “There’s a very small portion of people causing problems, and many are transient — some displaced from encampment closures in other cities,” he said. “You can’t solve homelessness by blaming the organizations feeding people.”
One nearby resident echoed Brown’s concerns, calling the city’s stance “appalling.” “They’re putting the onus on Regeneration to fix what are city-wide issues,” the resident told INsauga.com.
Regeneration’s lease at Grace United is set to expire this year. The organization has been searching for a larger facility for years and has previously appealed to City Council for help relocating, but instead, Brown says, the city responded with threats and criticism — including backlash over providing tents to unhoused clients.
“I’m really confused as to what solutions the city has,” Brown said. “They’re spewing a lot of blame, but they have no plan.”
Despite the tension, Brown insists Regeneration will continue serving Brampton’s most vulnerable residents. “We’re doing what we can with the resources we have,” he said. “And we’re not walking away from the people who need us most.”