Toronto is set to open at least 250 shelter spaces for unhoused refugees who have been sleeping on city streets.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow received the undivided support of city council to open 150 hotel rooms for unhoused refugees immediately in a vote on Wednesday.
Chow says an additional 100 temporary living spaces will be found in the coming days.
The unanimous vote came a day after Ottawa agreed to allocate Toronto $97 million in emergency aid.
Chow said the federal funding will only shelter 2,000 refugees. However, there are already 3,100 refugees in the shelter system and there “are a lot more coming,” Chow told reporters.
READ MORE: Toronto to receive $97M from Ottawa to combat refugee housing crisis
The provincial government has contributed a further $6.7 million, as part of a one-time installment of funds to the Canada Ontario Housing Benefits rent subsidy program.
Chow spoke to the media after the meeting and thanked the members of the community who came together to provide temporary accommodation for the predominantly African refugees forced to sleep on streets for weeks.
“I want to start off by saying a big thank you to African refugee service centres, the Black community, and all those very generous donors that have contributed to the GoFundMe campaign, they have stepped up,” Chow said.
Meanwhile, Revivaltime Tabernacle Church opened its doors earlier this week to a group of refugees who had been camping outside Toronto’s shelter intake office, and is looking for volunteers to help organize the overwhelming amount of donations. The church outlined ways people can help in an open letter on their website.
Chow also urged homeowners and landowners to call the city and work in tandem with staff to help provide accommodations.
Those who offer their homes to refugees will receive financial assistance in return, according to Chow. “We know Torontonians are generous,” she stated.
The mayor also emphasized the need to find long-standing solutions in place of emergency measures.
We will continue to work with all levels of government and refugee-serving partners to secure more resources to support refugees.
— Mayor Olivia Chow (@MayorOliviaChow) July 19, 2023
Today's motion will help, but more work needs to be done. We will continue to work together.
➡️ Read the full motion: https://t.co/mliQHY3MSy pic.twitter.com/jQX4oUaGVF
Plans to establish a first-contact model, whereby asylum seekers to Canada will receive access to all necessary resources upon arrival, are in motion. Chow said it is an undertaking that will require cross-government cooperation.
In a meeting with Chow on Tuesday, Trudeau pledged to aid Toronto and the rest of Canada in finding a long-term solution to the refugee housing crisis.
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