Asylum seekers sleeping outside a downtown shelter.
With winter at our doorstep, the province is coughing up more than $26 million to keep refugee claimants from sleeping in the cold.
The Ontario government is handing over $42 million to provide urgent help to cities experiencing a growing number of refugee claimants and at-risk populations.
This investment, made through the Canada Ontario Housing Benefit, will see Toronto receive $26,420,000 in 2023-24 to help move more people into housing and free up existing shelter spaces.
Some claimants seeking refuge in a church.
“This investment will ease growing pressures on homeless shelters by helping thousands of asylum seekers move into long-term housing,” said Premier Doug Ford.
Ford said “many newcomers searching for a better life are struggling, living in our shelter systems, church basements or, in some cases, out on the streets.”
“That’s just unacceptable,” he said. “We need all levels of government working together to tackle this crisis.”
MPP Christine Hogarth said this year Ontario could receive more than 72,000 refugee claimants, which is nearly twice as many as last year.
“The City of Toronto has experienced the greatest influx of asylum claimants of any municipality of Ontario, and our government is working to ensure that everyone has a suitable place to live,” she said.
Many people are seeking shelter here and more provincial funding will open up more beds.
She said the province continues to advocate for Ontario municipalities and service managers to ensure they receive their fair share of federal funding to address the ongoing rise in asylum claimants.
“We are committed to working constructively with our municipal partners, but we also firmly believe the federal government has a responsibility to step up as well and support municipalities in dealing with this crisis,” said Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow has said the city is broke and has met with Ford and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to obtain funding to provide shelters for the claimants, many who have been temporarily staying in churches.
Asylum claimants are individuals seeking asylum in Canada based on a fear of persecution in their home country. They are ineligible for most federal support programs, such as financial assistance and settlement and language training services.
They are different from persons who arrive in Canada having already been recognized as refugees, whose arrival to Canada as permanent residents allows them to qualify for benefits and a work permit.