Petition: Tell Parliament to Fund Shelter Space for Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Cold weather is here and hundreds of families and individuals arrive in Toronto looking to build a new life—only to be told there is nowhere for them to go. Because the Federal Government has neglected to provide support, they are forced to sleep on the street in downtown Toronto. Right now, 300 people a night are turned away from shelters, 150 of whom are refugees. It’s time for Trudeau to step up and support refugees.
Use our tool below to send a message directly to your Member of Parliament and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling on them to deliver funding and support for people seeking asylum. Scroll down to learn more.
Toronto’s shelter system is in crisis and newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers have nowhere to go.
It’s no secret that Toronto’s housing crisis has pushed our shelter system to its brink. Toronto’s shelter system has a budget gap of $414 million for this year alone. The City budget includes 500 shelter spaces for refugees and asylum seekers per night – but this is less than one-fifth of the spaces needed to serve over 2,800 people.
The Federal Government owes the City of Toronto $200 million: $97 million in promised funding for shelter and housing programs for refugees and asylum seekers, and $103 million to cover additional pressures on the emergency shelter system. However because of their failure to deliver on this promise, newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers are paying the price.
Black-led churches have had to step up and house newly-arrived refugees and asylum seekers. However, this isn’t a permanent solution and the Federal Government needs to fulfill their responsibility. Unfortunately, 100 people who were housed at a church-space have had to leave as the space is no longer available. They are left out on the street with 80 other newly arrived refugees who have no place to go.
The Federal Government cannot continue to shirk its responsibility to our city and to refugee and asylum-seeking families who need immediate shelter and access to stable, affordable housing.
Send your message:
“Every morning we find refugee claimants lined up outside our door, hoping that this is the day they can get a shelter bed. This is a crisis.”
- Loly Rico, Executive Director of FCJ Refugee Centre & Provincial Director, OCASI
Nonprofit agencies who support refugees and newcomers released a joint emergency statement calling on all levels of government to work together and address the shelter crisis. Frontline workers are left scrambling and are even offering up their living rooms to provide some relief to refugees looking for a safe indoor space.
The lack of adequate shelter space for refugees and asylum seekers has had predictable yet devastating health impacts. More and more refugee claimants are accessing Emergency Room care with symptoms of exhaustion and emotional distress, and other physical symptoms.
This is unacceptable. Refugees and asylum seekers are abandoned by a government that is supposed to be helping them. With hundreds of people turned away from shelters each night, this crisis will only get worse unless all levels of government, including the Federal Government, fulfil their duty.
Send your message and demand that Trudeau and the Federal Government provide the $157 million that is owed to help provide support and relief for newly arrived refugees.