Ford Says Ottawa Must Do More to Help Resettle Refugees in Toronto

Doug Ford, premier of Ontario, speaks to media during the closing news conference at the Council of the Federation (Canada's Premiers) at the Fort Garry Hotel in Winnipeg, July 12, 2023. The Canadian Press/John Woods

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the federal government must do more to assist the province in responding to an increased number of refugees living in Toronto.

The premier was at a press conference on July 18 where he was asked how his government is helping refugees and asylum seekers who are sleeping on the streets in Toronto. Officials say the number of asylum seekers in Toronto’s shelter system has grown by 500 percent in 20 months and that the city has had to turn them away from at-capacity shelters.

Mr. Ford said his government has increased its level of funding to the city by 28 percent amounting to approximately $225 million.

“There’s never been a more important time that all three levels of government have to work together. The federal government, as everyone knows, is in charge of the immigration,” he said in the Niagara town of Lincoln.

“If you bring new people in—I’ve been encouraging them, by the way, to bring new people in, because we need to fill 300,000 jobs—you have to step up.”

Toronto has seen an increase in asylum seekers and refugee claimants sleeping on the sidewalks, unable to get a space in the city’s overwhelmed shelter system. A church in Toronto is now reportedly housing them temporarily.

‘Unacceptable’

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow had asked the Trudeau government to cover the $157 million resettlement costs the city has spent for existing refugee shelter spaces, and to support with additional housing, shelter space, and personnel.

“This is where myself and the mayor agree 100 percent,” Mr. Ford said and told reporters that the federal government owes the city of Toronto $150 million.

The premier proposed Ottawa expedite its processing of refugees and asylum seekers.

“You know what these people want—because I’ve talked to them up in Etobicoke North right by the hotel there—they’re all healthy, they all want to work,” he said.

“So the feds have to speed up the working permits. I guess it goes to making sure they have the status of the refugee and then they get a working permit, but you can’t have these people sitting around for ... four or five more months. That’s unacceptable.”

The premier said the federal government needs to “set up shop” in Ontario to start issuing work permits to eligible applicants so that refugees can get back on their feet.

“You can’t just drop people and say ‘OK, [we’re done].’ It doesn’t work that way.” Mr. Ford said, adding that governments need to collaborate.

Shortly after Mr. Ford’s press conference, the Liberal government announced it was putting in $212 million more toward interim housing for people claiming asylum in Canada, including about $97 million for Toronto.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.