Latest news with #AdaomaPatterson
Yahoo
27-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Federal government to stop funding hotel rooms for asylum seekers, IRCC says
Asylum seekers staying in federally-funded hotels will soon have to check out as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says that funding will end in September. A spokesperson for IRCC told CBC News via email that as of Thursday, the federal government was housing 485 asylum seekers in five hotels in Ontario and Quebec, noting it has spent approximately $1.1 billion on temporary hotel housing for asylum seekers since 2020. "This measure was never meant to be permanent, and IRCC is funded to continue hotel operations only until September 30, 2025," the email said. Ottawa has provided funding for asylum seekers to be housed in hotels across Canada since at least 2018. Federal officials have previously said this system was always meant to be a stop-gap measure to deal with historic surges in migration. Meanwhile, it was recently revealed that plans to revamp Canada's outdated asylum system have been cancelled, and proposed border laws will likely make it more challenging to claim asylum. IRCC says it will help those still in hotels find housing, but experts and advocates say that could be a tough task in cities with high demand and low supply. Municipal shelters are consistently full, according to Adaoma Patterson, director of community investments at United Way Greater Toronto. While some additional capacity has been added in the form of a dedicated shelter for asylum claimants in Peel, she says more needs to be done to avoid overloading an already-stressed shelter system. "I think municipalities are doing everything that they can. But shelters take a long time to build. So it's not something that can happen overnight," Patterson said. Affordable housing shortages also make it challenging for asylum seekers, who sometimes encounter problems finding landlords willing to rent to them, she said, adding that some could end up on the street or in unsafe living conditions due to overcrowding. "Anyone who is not in safe, stable housing, there's always a risk that their health is compromised. And then in extreme cases, you might see someone pass away," she said. Number of asylum seekers declining: IRCC Over 15,000 asylum claimants who were previously in hotels have now transitioned to independent living, IRCC said in its email to CBC News. The department says it will help the 485 people remaining in the hotels find longer term housing before the program ends on Sept. 30. It said it will support people on-site while they look for longer-term housing, and that it will continue "supporting provinces and municipalities in developing their own long-term housing strategies." "While asylum volumes remain high, they are nearly 40 per cent lower than last year," IRCC said. CBC News asked IRCC why volumes have declined but has yet to receive a response. WATCH | How the government scrapped plans to revamp the asylum system: Last year, the federal government cancelled an IRCC project meant to revamp Canada's outdated asylum system. The $68-million project was intended to be a major reform after Canada began seeing surges of asylum seekers entering the country, putting pressure on an already struggling system that relied heavily on paper files. Meanwhile, the government's proposed Strong Borders Act contains controversial new measures, including changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act that would force asylum seekers entering the country to make their claims within a year. Where will money come from, economist asks Christopher Worswick, an economics professor at Carleton University who focuses on migration, questions whether the volume of asylum claims has really declined that much. "Or is this just an attempt to offload it onto the province," he asked. Worswick says housing asylum claimants is an international obligation — and an expensive one at that. He warned that while the decision to end hotel funding may be motivated by a desire to cut federal spending, it could result in passing on costs to provinces and municipalities that are also cash-strapped. With those budget challenges and municipal governments lacking the taxation powers that higher levels of government can use, Worswick wonders, "Where is the money going to come from?" WATCH | How a Vaughan church is helping house refugees and asylum seekers: Grassroots organizations stretched to limit Community organizations have previously stepped in to support asylum seekers who fell through the cracks in different levels of government support. But they say they're also feeling strain. In 2023, hundreds of asylum seekers slept on the streets in downtown Toronto amid a funding stalemate between the city and the federal government. Miracle Arena For All Nations, a church in Vaughan, Ont., was one of several community groups that stepped up to help. Minister Isaac Oppong says his congregation has fed and housed over 500 asylum seekers on the church grounds since June 2023. He says he's concerned that ending the hotel program without other solutions in place will again lead to people sleeping in the streets. "There's nowhere for them to go. There's no repurposed buildings or there's no other housing. We will go back to square one like 2023," he said. Oppong says his congregation supports asylum seekers on a volunteer basis and hasn't received any government funding. He says it's not financially sustainable for local groups like his to continue supporting the influx of people long-term. "It's bringing people into your lifeboat because you see they're drowning," he said. "But obviously you can't keep them in the lifeboat. You have to take them somewhere else." Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
26-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Federal government to stop funding hotel rooms for asylum seekers, IRCC says
Asylum seekers staying in federally-funded hotels will soon have to check out as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says that funding will end in September. A spokesperson for IRCC told CBC News via email that as of Thursday, the federal government was housing 485 asylum seekers in five hotels in Ontario and Quebec, noting it has spent approximately $1.1 billion on temporary hotel housing for asylum seekers since 2020. "This measure was never meant to be permanent, and IRCC is funded to continue hotel operations only until September 30, 2025," the email said. Ottawa has provided funding for asylum seekers to be housed in hotels across Canada since at least 2018. Federal officials have previously said this system was always meant to be a stop-gap measure to deal with historic surges in migration. Meanwhile, it was recently revealed that plans to revamp Canada's outdated asylum system have been cancelled, and proposed border laws will likely make it more challenging to claim asylum. IRCC says it will help those still in hotels find housing, but experts and advocates say that could be a tough task in cities with high demand and low supply. Municipal shelters are consistently full, according to Adaoma Patterson, director of community investments at United Way Greater Toronto. While some additional capacity has been added in the form of a dedicated shelter for asylum claimants in Peel, she says more needs to be done to avoid overloading an already-stressed shelter system. "I think municipalities are doing everything that they can. But shelters take a long time to build. So it's not something that can happen overnight," Patterson said. Affordable housing shortages also make it challenging for asylum seekers, who sometimes encounter problems finding landlords willing to rent to them, she said, adding that some could end up on the street or in unsafe living conditions due to overcrowding. "Anyone who is not in safe, stable housing, there's always a risk that their health is compromised. And then in extreme cases, you might see someone pass away," she said. Number of asylum seekers declining: IRCC Over 15,000 asylum claimants who were previously in hotels have now transitioned to independent living, IRCC said in its email to CBC News. The department says it will help the 485 people remaining in the hotels find longer term housing before the program ends on Sept. 30. It said it will support people on-site while they look for longer-term housing, and that it will continue "supporting provinces and municipalities in developing their own long-term housing strategies." "While asylum volumes remain high, they are nearly 40 per cent lower than last year," IRCC said. CBC News asked IRCC why volumes have declined but has yet to receive a response. WATCH | How the government scrapped plans to revamp the asylum system: Last year, the federal government cancelled an IRCC project meant to revamp Canada's outdated asylum system. The $68-million project was intended to be a major reform after Canada began seeing surges of asylum seekers entering the country, putting pressure on an already struggling system that relied heavily on paper files. Meanwhile, the government's proposed Strong Borders Act contains controversial new measures, including changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act that would force asylum seekers entering the country to make their claims within a year. Where will money come from, economist asks Christopher Worswick, an economics professor at Carleton University who focuses on migration, questions whether the volume of asylum claims has really declined that much. "Or is this just an attempt to offload it onto the province," he asked. Worswick says housing asylum claimants is an international obligation — and an expensive one at that. He warned that while the decision to end hotel funding may be motivated by a desire to cut federal spending, it could result in passing on costs to provinces and municipalities that are also cash-strapped. With those budget challenges and municipal governments lacking the taxation powers that higher levels of government can use, Worswick wonders, "Where is the money going to come from?" WATCH | How a Vaughan church is helping house refugees and asylum seekers: Grassroots organizations stretched to limit Community organizations have previously stepped in to support asylum seekers who fell through the cracks in different levels of government support. But they say they're also feeling strain. In 2023, hundreds of asylum seekers slept on the streets in downtown Toronto amid a funding stalemate between the city and the federal government. Miracle Arena For All Nations, a church in Vaughan, Ont., was one of several community groups that stepped up to help. Minister Isaac Oppong says his congregation has fed and housed over 500 asylum seekers on the church grounds since June 2023. He says he's concerned that ending the hotel program without other solutions in place will again lead to people sleeping in the streets. "There's nowhere for them to go. There's no repurposed buildings or there's no other housing. We will go back to square one like 2023," he said. Oppong says his congregation supports asylum seekers on a volunteer basis and hasn't received any government funding. He says it's not financially sustainable for local groups like his to continue supporting the influx of people long-term. "It's bringing people into your lifeboat because you see they're drowning," he said. "But obviously you can't keep them in the lifeboat. You have to take them somewhere else."
Yahoo
26-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Federal government to stop funding hotel rooms for asylum seekers, IRCC says
Asylum seekers staying in federally-funded hotels will soon have to check out as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says that funding will end in September. A spokesperson for IRCC told CBC News via email that as of Thursday, the federal government was housing 485 asylum seekers in five hotels in Ontario and Quebec, noting it has spent approximately $1.1 billion on temporary hotel housing for asylum seekers since 2020. "This measure was never meant to be permanent, and IRCC is funded to continue hotel operations only until September 30, 2025," the email said. Ottawa has provided funding for asylum seekers to be housed in hotels across Canada since at least 2018. Federal officials have previously said this system was always meant to be a stop-gap measure to deal with historic surges in migration. Meanwhile, it was recently revealed that plans to revamp Canada's outdated asylum system have been cancelled, and proposed border laws will likely make it more challenging to claim asylum. IRCC says it will help those still in hotels find housing, but experts and advocates say that could be a tough task in cities with high demand and low supply. Municipal shelters are consistently full, according to Adaoma Patterson, director of community investments at United Way Greater Toronto. While some additional capacity has been added in the form of a dedicated shelter for asylum claimants in Peel, she says more needs to be done to avoid overloading an already-stressed shelter system. "I think municipalities are doing everything that they can. But shelters take a long time to build. So it's not something that can happen overnight," Patterson said. Affordable housing shortages also make it challenging for asylum seekers, who sometimes encounter problems finding landlords willing to rent to them, she said, adding that some could end up on the street or in unsafe living conditions due to overcrowding. "Anyone who is not in safe, stable housing, there's always a risk that their health is compromised. And then in extreme cases, you might see someone pass away," she said. Number of asylum seekers declining: IRCC Over 15,000 asylum claimants who were previously in hotels have now transitioned to independent living, IRCC said in its email to CBC News. The department says it will help the 485 people remaining in the hotels find longer term housing before the program ends on Sept. 30. It said it will support people on-site while they look for longer-term housing, and that it will continue "supporting provinces and municipalities in developing their own long-term housing strategies." "While asylum volumes remain high, they are nearly 40 per cent lower than last year," IRCC said. CBC News asked IRCC why volumes have declined but has yet to receive a response. WATCH | How the government scrapped plans to revamp the asylum system: Last year, the federal government cancelled an IRCC project meant to revamp Canada's outdated asylum system. The $68-million project was intended to be a major reform after Canada began seeing surges of asylum seekers entering the country, putting pressure on an already struggling system that relied heavily on paper files. Meanwhile, the government's proposed Strong Borders Act contains controversial new measures, including changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act that would force asylum seekers entering the country to make their claims within a year. Where will money come from, economist asks Christopher Worswick, an economics professor at Carleton University who focuses on migration, questions whether the volume of asylum claims has really declined that much. "Or is this just an attempt to offload it onto the province," he asked. Worswick says housing asylum claimants is an international obligation — and an expensive one at that. He warned that while the decision to end hotel funding may be motivated by a desire to cut federal spending, it could result in passing on costs to provinces and municipalities that are also cash-strapped. With those budget challenges and municipal governments lacking the taxation powers that higher levels of government can use, Worswick wonders, "Where is the money going to come from?" WATCH | How a Vaughan church is helping house refugees and asylum seekers: Grassroots organizations stretched to limit Community organizations have previously stepped in to support asylum seekers who fell through the cracks in different levels of government support. But they say they're also feeling strain. In 2023, hundreds of asylum seekers slept on the streets in downtown Toronto amid a funding stalemate between the city and the federal government. Miracle Arena For All Nations, a church in Vaughan, Ont., was one of several community groups that stepped up to help. Minister Isaac Oppong says his congregation has fed and housed over 500 asylum seekers on the church grounds since June 2023. He says he's concerned that ending the hotel program without other solutions in place will again lead to people sleeping in the streets. "There's nowhere for them to go. There's no repurposed buildings or there's no other housing. We will go back to square one like 2023," he said. Oppong says his congregation supports asylum seekers on a volunteer basis and hasn't received any government funding. He says it's not financially sustainable for local groups like his to continue supporting the influx of people long-term. "It's bringing people into your lifeboat because you see they're drowning," he said. "But obviously you can't keep them in the lifeboat. You have to take them somewhere else."
CBC
26-07-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Federal government to stop funding hotel rooms for asylum seekers, IRCC says
Asylum seekers staying in federally-funded hotels will soon have to check out as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says that funding will end in September. A spokesperson for IRCC told CBC News via email that as of Thursday, the federal government was housing 485 asylum seekers in five hotels in Ontario and Quebec, noting it has spent approximately $1.1 billion on temporary hotel housing for asylum seekers since 2020. "This measure was never meant to be permanent, and IRCC is funded to continue hotel operations only until September 30, 2025," the email said. Ottawa has provided funding for asylum seekers to be housed in hotels across Canada since at least 2018. Federal officials have previously said this system was always meant to be a stop-gap measure to deal with historic surges in migration. Meanwhile, it was recently revealed that plans to revamp Canada's outdated asylum system have been cancelled, and proposed border laws will likely make it more challenging to claim asylum. IRCC says it will help those still in hotels find housing, but experts and advocates say that could be a tough task in cities with high demand and low supply. Municipal shelters are consistently full, according to Adaoma Patterson, director of community investments at United Way Greater Toronto. While some additional capacity has been added in the form of a dedicated shelter for asylum claimants in Peel, she says more needs to be done to avoid overloading an already-stressed shelter system. "I think municipalities are doing everything that they can. But shelters take a long time to build. So it's not something that can happen overnight," Patterson said. Affordable housing shortages also make it challenging for asylum seekers, who sometimes encounter problems finding landlords willing to rent to them, she said, adding that some could end up on the street or in unsafe living conditions due to overcrowding. "Anyone who is not in safe, stable housing, there's always a risk that their health is compromised. And then in extreme cases, you might see someone pass away," she said. Number of asylum seekers declining: IRCC Over 15,000 asylum claimants who were previously in hotels have now transitioned to independent living, IRCC said in its email to CBC News. The department says it will help the 485 people remaining in the hotels find longer term housing before the program ends on Sept. 30. It said it will support people on-site while they look for longer-term housing, and that it will continue "supporting provinces and municipalities in developing their own long-term housing strategies." "While asylum volumes remain high, they are nearly 40 per cent lower than last year," IRCC said. CBC News asked IRCC why volumes have declined but has yet to receive a response. WATCH | How the government scrapped plans to revamp the asylum system: How the government quietly scrapped a $68M asylum system revamp project 3 days ago A major project to secure and revamp Canada's asylum system was shut down last year — an 'unexpected' move for some in the government, CBC News has learned. Now, some critics fear the outcomes that were achieved may be more harmful than beneficial for people seeking protection in Canada. Last year, the federal government cancelled an IRCC project meant to revamp Canada's outdated asylum system. The $68-million project was intended to be a major reform after Canada began seeing surges of asylum seekers entering the country, putting pressure on an already struggling system that relied heavily on paper files. Meanwhile, the government's proposed Strong Borders Act contains controversial new measures, including changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act that would force asylum seekers entering the country to make their claims within a year. Where will money come from, economist asks Christopher Worswick, an economics professor at Carleton University who focuses on migration, questions whether the volume of asylum claims has really declined that much. "Or is this just an attempt to offload it onto the province," he asked. Worswick says housing asylum claimants is an international obligation — and an expensive one at that. He warned that while the decision to end hotel funding may be motivated by a desire to cut federal spending, it could result in passing on costs to provinces and municipalities that are also cash-strapped. With those budget challenges and municipal governments lacking the taxation powers that higher levels of government can use, Worswick wonders, "Where is the money going to come from?" WATCH | How a Vaughan church is helping house refugees and asylum seekers: How a Vaughan church is helping house more than 50 refugees and asylum seekers 2 years ago Minister Isaac Oppong has been one of the main organizers behind Miracle Arena Canada's ongoing effort to provide shelter for refugees and asylum seekers in the Greater Toronto Area. Since June, the church has provided resources like food and temporary housing on the church grounds for dozens of newcomers. Grassroots organizations stretched to limit Community organizations have previously stepped in to support asylum seekers who fell through the cracks in different levels of government support. But they say they're also feeling strain. In 2023, hundreds of asylum seekers slept on the streets in downtown Toronto amid a funding stalemate between the city and the federal government. Miracle Arena For All Nations, a church in Vaughan, Ont., was one of several community groups that stepped up to help. Minister Isaac Oppong says his congregation has fed and housed over 500 asylum seekers on the church grounds since June 2023. He says he's concerned that ending the hotel program without other solutions in place will again lead to people sleeping in the streets. "There's nowhere for them to go. There's no repurposed buildings or there's no other housing. We will go back to square one like 2023," he said. Oppong says his congregation supports asylum seekers on a volunteer basis and hasn't received any government funding. He says it's not financially sustainable for local groups like his to continue supporting the influx of people long-term.
Cision Canada
24-04-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
ACCES Employment launches new mobile employment service for hard-to-reach jobseekers
ACCES Employment's President and CEO, Allison Pond kicked off the event with opening remarks underscoring systemic challenges and barriers to access impacting jobseekers today, and how this inspired the creation of the ACCES Employment Street Fleet. She was joined by Sheref Sabawy Parliamentary Assistant to Ontario's Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development and MPP Mississauga Erin-Mills and Mississauga Councillor Natalie Hart, who both spoke about the need for the programs and services that ACCES provides in local communities and the lasting impact they can have. As attendees celebrated with an official ribbon cutting, they were also able to hear from Adaoma Patterson, Director of Community Service Investments at United Way Greater Toronto. Patterson shared the reasons that United Way donated to the project; which connects to their work transforming and injecting opportunity into underserved communities across Peel, Toronto, and York Region. Guests also witnessed the Street Fleet in action with an employment skills workshop being conducted on site with 10 local youth where they learned how to leverage LinkedIn in their job search. The Malton Youth Hub, a key community partner serving local youth needs, hosted a tour highlighting key programs and will partner with ACCES to deliver training in technology, personal banking, and culinary skills. "Today marks an incredible milestone for us with the launch of our ACCES Street Fleet. This initiative will allow us to better serve jobseekers facing barriers to employment by meeting them directly in their communities, building on our vision of creating a diverse and inclusive workforce for the province and Canada. None of this would be possible without the incredible support of our sponsors, funders, employer partners, board members, staff, alumni, and volunteers. I know this will have great impact on the lives of many in our community now and into the future." - Allison Pond, ACCES Employment President & CEO "At Toronto Pearson, we know how transformative meaningful employment can be. That's why we're proud to support ACCES on the launch of Street Fleet - a mobile innovation that brings job opportunities directly to the community, ensuring people facing the greatest barriers can access the support, resources, and guidance they need." - Ruba Al-Nazer, Associate Director of Social Impact, Toronto Pearson "United Way Greater Toronto has been supporting ACCES Employment since 1990, and we know that they are making an enormous difference in our city. By being nimble in their approach with Street Fleet, they will improve job opportunities and financial security for people facing multiple barriers so that no one gets left behind, strengthening communities across the city." - Adaoma Patterson, Director of Community Service Investments, United Way Greater Toronto QUICK FACTS: For over 38 years, ACCES Employment has been helping underserved jobseekers and newcomers find employment, supporting over 56,000 jobseekers across our 7 locations in the Greater Toronto Area. ACCES Employment has over 4,200 employers in their network to help create pathways to opportunity. Ontario's unemployment rate was 7.5% in March 2025, a 0.2 pt increase from the month prior, and Toronto's unemployment rate is the second highest in the province at 8.7%. This Street Fleet initiative is intended to help reach more workers to enter the labour market. United Way Greater Toronto has been a long-time partner of ACCES Employment, supporting key initiatives like the annual World of Difference campaign. Toronto Pearson has also been a significant sponsor, supporting workforce development and hiring initiatives like the Toronto Pearson Ready-to-Work Program. HP Canada is a key technology partner donating technology to the Street Fleet mobile unit. The ACCES Street Fleet is scheduled to attend 10 events across the GTA this summer alone, including local workshops at community hubs and libraries as well as showcases at significant city festivals. CALL TO ACTION: Visit to learn more about the ACCES Street Fleet, and how you can partner with us. MEDIA RESOURCES: Photos and video from event linked here. About ACCES Employment ACCES Employment is a Canadian non-profit organization that assists jobseekers from diverse backgrounds in their journey to meaningful employment. With decades of experience in the employment services sector, ACCES provides a wide range of specialized programs, services, and resources tailored to the unique needs of its clientele. About Toronto Pearson The Greater Toronto Airports Authority is the operator of Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada's largest airport and a vital connector of people, businesses and goods. Toronto Pearson has been named "Best Large Airport in North America serving more than 40 million passengers" seven times in the last eight years by Airports Council International (ACI), the global trade representative of the world's airports. For operational updates and passenger information, please visit @TorontoPearson/ @AeroportPearson on X. For our corporate X channel, please visit @PearsonComms. You can also follow us on Facebook or Instagram. SOURCE Toronto Pearson GTAA Media Office | [email protected] About United Way Greater Toronto As the largest non-government funder of community services in the GTA, United Way Greater Toronto reinforces a crucial community safety net to support people living in poverty. United Way's network of agencies and initiatives in neighbourhoods across Peel, Toronto and York Region works to ensure that everyone has access to the programs and services they need to thrive. Mobilizing community support, United Way's work is rooted in ground-breaking research, strategic leadership, local advocacy and cross-sectoral partnerships committed to building a more equitable region and lasting solutions to the GTA's greatest challenges.
