Toronto will place refugees in a hotel
The City Council approved a plan to build 600 units at a cost of $80 million CAD.
Toronto authorities, Ontario announced more than 600 new temporary shelters for refugees and asylum seekers after city council approved the plan Monday. The work will be based at the Novotel Hotel in North York. The cost of the five-year project is estimated at $80 million CAD.
According to the statement, the city wants to continue to create a refugee shelter sector that works in parallel with the existing shelter system.
The decision was made due to the steadily increasing number of refugees — now more than 1,800 in the city's shelters — primarily due to the opening of the border between Canada and the United States and the easing of restrictions on international travel.
The statement notes that the new hotel units will free up space in the city's shelter system because it will allow refugees seeking temporary housing to move to a new location where more comprehensive support and services are available.
This includes help with the legal process, as well as assistance with paperwork, employment and training.
Work is scheduled to begin in September.
