The federal government will be providing an additional $210 million to fund interim housing for asylum seekers, and about half of that money will be heading to Toronto as dozens of refugees forced to camp out on the sidewalk outside a shelter are shuttled to a church in North York.
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser made the announcement on Tuesday morning, saying that $97 million has been earmarked to help Toronto refugees who are not being supported under federal programs.
“This will put us in a position where the City of Toronto will not have any concerns about the federal share of costs to ensure that they can provide housing to them, should they choose to re-extend access to the shelter system in Toronto to asylum seekers who up until recently have been denied that access.”
The announcement comes as a group of about 30 or so people are being sent to a church after spending weeks sleeping outside of a shelter intake centre on Peter Street after being denied entry by the city, who argues its shelter system is too full.
At the time, advocates accused the city of denying shelter to refugees and sending them on a “cruel wild-goose chase” by telling them to call Service Canada for aide.
This is a breaking news story. More details to come.
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