Mayor Olivia Chow has stressed the city does not have the financial resources to continue to cover the costs of housing refugee claimants. (Alex Lupul/CBC - image credit)Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said Thursday that some refugee claimants who were previously camped outside a downtown shelter intake office have been moved to hotel rooms through a city program. A motion passed unanimously by city council earlier that day called on staff to find 150 hotel rooms for newcomers, primarily by renewing shelter hotel contracts, and to find 100 more spaces in the coming days. More than 200 refugees and asylum seekers have been living at two churches in North York for several days after spending weeks living rough downtown. The policy led a coalition of advocates to call for the resignation of Gord Tanner, the general manager of Shelter Support and Housing Administration.

Source: CBC News July 20, 2023 12:45 UTC