Kaitlin Heller thinks Toronto streets are very safe, but not necessarily the result of an increased police presence. “I used to live in Harlem, New York, and there were shootings on my doorstep,” Kaitlin Heller said while sitting on a bench at Yonge-Dundas Square. “Toronto feels much safer.”

The Toronto police chief said the streets of the city were safer this summer because his officers worked compulsory overtime hours. In late July this year, Toronto Police of Chief Bill Blair announced the launch of the Toronto Police Service’s Summer Safety Initiative (SSI), which resulted in the equivalent of 329 additional full-time officers monitoring the city between July 26 and Sept. 9.