Dec 27, 2024 Story by: Editor
A coalition of predominantly Black-led organizations has called on the city to adopt recommendations from a recent report that criticized its refusal to allow refugee claimants access to homeless shelter beds in 2022 and 2023.
The report, authored by Ombudsman Kwame Addo and released last week, concluded that the city’s decision to exclude refugees from its base shelter system was “poorly thought out, planned for, and communicated” and amounted to anti-Black racism. However, City Manager Paul Johnson disagreed with the report’s findings.
City council received the report during its Wednesday meeting but did not debate or address its recommendations.
At a news conference, Kizito Musabimana, chair of the African Canadian Collective, described the decision to deny shelter access to refugee claimants as “definitely systemic racism.” He criticized the government for lacking compassion and empathy, labeling the issue a “crisis of bureaucracy” where procedures take precedence over people. Musabimana urged the council to adopt the recommendations and establish clear timelines for implementation.
“We are speaking for all African Black refugee claimants. Today, we’re speaking for all Black people when we say change must come. Change must come today, and we will take nothing less,” Musabimana stated.
Musabimana also mentioned that Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow contacted him on Friday to discuss the report. According to Musabimana, Chow expressed disappointment in how the matter was handled at the council and sought to apologize to the community. He insisted that any such conversation must be public.
“We all welcome that decision from the mayor and look forward to having a public conversation involving everyone,” Musabimana said.
While CBC Toronto reached out to Chow’s office, they had not received a response by the time of publication. Chow stated during Wednesday’s council meeting that she is committed to holding a meeting to discuss the report, which would include staff and councilors. Details of the meeting’s timing and location remain unclear.
Saleh Sheikh, a member of the Crisis in Our City Network advocacy group, emphasized that the decision to deny shelter space to refugee claimants left them feeling unwelcome and unsafe in Toronto.
“Anti-Black racism is real, and we saw the Black refugees being treated this way. That shouldn’t be happening,” Sheikh said. “This is not just a call for action. It is a call for justice, fairness, and humanity.”
Savhanna Wilson, spokesperson for the Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness, praised Black community leaders, African churches, and volunteers for stepping in to assist refugee claimants who were excluded from the shelter system. Wilson said the city’s actions violated the refugees’ basic human rights.
“This report demands concrete action, and the City of Toronto must uphold its legal and moral obligation to realize the right to housing for everyone today,” Wilson stated.
Wilson outlined clear remedies: ensuring equitable shelter access in line with the Toronto Housing Charter, involving impacted communities in policy decisions, and establishing mechanisms for accountability and transparency.
Coun. Michael Thompson, who attempted unsuccessfully to reopen the discussion at Wednesday’s meeting, urged the council to reconsider the matter.
“Council didn’t want to question the ombudsman, didn’t attempt to challenge his findings, didn’t probe his report to uncover any bias or untruth about how the refugee settlement plan treated us,” Thompson said. “I would like to have this matter reopened at the council to have a full discussion and ensure that the recommendations are accepted.”
The report detailed that the decision to deny shelter access left many refugees with limited access to food, water, and sanitation. On November 7, 2022, staff at Toronto Shelter and Support Services (TSSS) restricted access to non-refugee-claimant beds due to space constraints in the city’s shelter system. By May 31, 2023, the city publicly announced the change, attributing it to insufficient provincial and federal funding.
“The City did not measure the impact of this eligibility change; it did not track the number of refugee claimants affected, or the reason refugee claimants were not given a bed… Many refugee claimants were living on the sidewalk or in make-shift shelters with only limited access to sanitation, food, and water,” the report stated.
Although the council reversed the decision on July 19, 2022, the implementation of universal shelter access took nearly two months. Addo’s report emphasized the need for transparency and equity in critical service decisions, noting the emotional toll on refugee claimants, who were left feeling “othered, invisible, and unwelcome in a city they hoped would provide safety and support.” Source: CBC
