Toronto council passes Refugee Capacity Plan

Toronto council learned Tuesday that there is still no formal commitment from the federal government on funding for refugee-claimant resettlement in the city.

The matter came up during a council meeting when the proposed Toronto Refugee Capacity Plan was passed. The plan proposes the establishment of a refugee-claimant welcome centre and increased engagement between all levels of government about refugee issues. The plan also suggests increased use of refugee houses in the city to expand the emergency shelter system, the lack of which forced Immigration Canada to lodge asylum seekers in student housing and hotels across the GTA last year.