With winter just around the corner, officials are looking into solutions for housing asylum seekers living on the streets of Toronto, with nowhere else to go.
On Nov. 22, National Housing Day, the city’s mayor took to social media to share a letter from Toronto City Council to Canada’s Minister of National Defence Bill Blair and Minister of Emergency Preparedness Harjit Sajjan calling for the federal government to open armouries in the city to be used as shelters.
In a letter shared recently on X, Chow outlined the growing crisis. The mayor says that as of Nov. 13 there were 3,900 refugee claimants supported by Toronto’s shelter system, as well as 1,212 refugees supported outside of the system.
“Compared to only six months ago this is a 50% increase,” Chow wrote.
“Shelters are full but demand for shelter continues to increase. Each night, hundreds are turned away because no beds are available.”
Chow also shared a formal request she says was submitted to the province, calling for the opening of the armouries.
On Wednesday, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller responded to Chow online, saying that the federal government has been looking into options for shelter in both Toronto and the GTA. Miller also stated that in order for the federal government to open armouries in the city as shelters, it needs to receive a request for assistance from the Ontario government, which he says they haven’t received..
“We agree with @oliviachow. No one should be left outside in dangerously cold weather. We have offered $5M to partner with the City of Toronto to open the Better Living Centre at the Exhibition Place to create more safe spaces to keep people out of the cold. This option remains,” Miller responded on Twitter.
“The federal government has put an offer on the table, a financial offer on the table as well as looked at Exhibition Place as a place that would be more suitable for people to get a shelter over their head,” Miller told reporters on Wednesday, adding that it’s a work in progress.
“We are close to having an understanding with the Peel region, with respect to a reception centre. That is something that I hope that we can announce in the next couple of days,” Miller continued, adding that if that plan works out there would be a place near the airport to welcome those seeking asylum.
But Toronto’s leading lady hit back at the minister, saying that the city is already working on opening the Better Living Centre.
“200+ spaces is not a solution. We need more space and resources for this crisis, including the armouries, a reception centre and real funding to support the 5,100 – and growing – refugees the City is supporting,” Chow posted.
