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Call on the federal government to restore shelter funding for refugees

Toronto is once again facing a crisis in refugee shelter funding. The federal Interim Housing Assistance Program (IHAP) — which for years reimbursed 95% of the City’s shelter costs for refugee claimants — has been drastically cut.

Instead of the $671 million the City requested to meet urgent needs, the federal government offered only $261.8 million. This leaves Toronto with a $107 million shortfall this year alone, and it means:

  • 250 planned refugee shelter spaces cannot go ahead.
  • Thousands of claimants remain stuck in costly hotels, or pushed into shelters designed for the general homeless population — often unsafe and retraumatizing for families recovering from war and persecution.
  • Without alternatives, more refugee claimants will end up sleeping outdoors, in church basements, or in encampments — just as we saw in 2023.

At Romero House, we know the human cost of underfunding. In 2023, when shelters were full, we opened our Community Host Program to house claimants in neighbours’ homes, and our staff and volunteers brought food and support to people sleeping in parks, subways, and even at the airport. It was heartbreaking and overwhelming — and we cannot go back there.

Immigration is a federal responsibility. Adequate housing is a human right. Canada must live up to its commitments and ensure refugee claimants have safe, dignified shelter.

That’s why we are urging supporters to sign this petition from Progress Toronto:

Sign the petition here
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Your voice can help prevent another humanitarian crisis in Toronto. Please add your name today.