Item - 2018.CD29.8

That City Council adopt the following recommendation contained in the supplementary report (June 22, 2018) from the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, the General Manager, Facilities Management and the Chief Purchasing Officer [CD29.8a]:

1. City Council amend the Shelter, Support and Housing Administration's 2018 - 2027 Capital Budget and Plan by creating a new capital Project, "Temporary Structures for Respite Services" at a total project cost of $10.2 million, with cash flow funding in 2018, fully funded through a permanent reallocation from the existing capital project, "New Emergency Shelters" (CHS 044) to fund the design and construction of four (4) temporary structures to accommodate approximately 400 people receiving services at the City's Respite Services.

That City Council adopt the following recommendations contained in the supplementary report (June 25, 2018) from the Interim City Manager [CD29.8b]:  

1. City Council reiterate its desire to welcome all newcomers choosing to make Toronto their home, with the appropriate support and leadership of both Ontario and Canada.

2. City Council immediately advise the governments of Canada and Ontario that:

a. the municipal shelter system in Toronto is operating at capacity and the City is providing even further shelter support to refugee/asylum claimants, in excess of the City's capacity, through the provision of additional 2,000 hotel rooms;

b. the City of Toronto has exhausted all facilities, personnel, and financial resources available to meet the immediate housing needs of the current population of refugee/asylum claimants in the shelter system;

c. neither Ontario nor Canada have provided any direct funding to assist the City of Toronto with the additional costs of providing housing supports to refugee/asylum claimants, although the City is awaiting its share of recently announced federal funds to be flowed through the Province; and

d. neither Ontario nor Canada have provided any facilities, or identified any facilities, that will be available to house refugee/asylum claimants beyond August 9, 2018.

3. City Council advise the governments of Canada and Ontario that the City of Toronto does not have the facilities, personnel, or financial resources necessary to provide on its own, housing supports to any additional refugee/asylum claimants who arrive in Toronto seeking services.

4. City Council advise the governments of Canada and Ontario that emergency contingency spaces provided at Centennial College and Humber College are available only until August 9, when they must accommodate the return of students, and that the City of Toronto does not have the facilities, personnel, or financial resources to relocate the refugee/asylum claimants that are currently receiving shelter supports at these colleges.  

5. City Council reiterate its request to the governments of Canada and Ontario for an urgent regional response, including: the introduction of federal and provincial-level coordination to place new arrivals to locations outside of the City of Toronto's shelter system, where there is capacity; additional resources, including non-municipal facilities and human resources to operate those facilities; and reimbursement of direct costs (to date) associated with the City's response to the increased flow of refugee claimants/ asylum seekers ($64.5 Million).

6. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Social Development Finance and Administration to enter into agreements with refugee-serving, non-governmental organizations to organize and facilitate information and referral services for refugee/asylum claimants, within the approved 2018 operating budget.

7. City Council direct the General Manager, Shelter Support and Housing Administration to assess and report through the 2019 budget process on the reallocation of base funding for hotel programs to transitional housing programs, when and if a federal response allows a reduction in demand, as experienced in 2001 and 2007. 

That City Council request the City Manager to collect the following information:

a.  number of shelter users who are established refugees who have had hearings accepted and have Permanent Residence;

b.  number of shelter users who have had asylum claims accepted and are waiting for a final ruling;

c.  number of shelter users who are asylum seekers, people who have entered Canada, claimed for asylum and are waiting to find out if their claim will be tested at a hearing;

d.  number of shelter users landed by the government from overseas at Pearson International Airport and settled within the City;

e.  number of shelter users who are in Canada but have made no claim whatsoever; and

f.   number of children broken down by same class;

 and to report the results directly to the July 23, 24 and 25, 2018 City Council meeting.

Amended by motion 3 by Councillor De Baeremaeker.

That City Council amend motion 2 by Councillor Wong-Tam by deleting the word "collect" and inserting the words "request the Federal Government to provide" so that it now reads as follows:

That City Council request the City Manager to request the Federal Government to provide the following information:

a.  number of shelter users who are established refugees who have had hearings accepted and have Permanent Residence;

b.  number of shelter users who have had asylum claims accepted and are waiting for a final ruling;

c.  number of shelter users who are asylum seekers, people who have entered Canada, claimed for asylum and are waiting to find out if their claim will be tested at a hearing;

d.  number of shelter users landed by the government from overseas at Pearson International Airport and settled within the City;

e.  number of shelter users who are in Canada but have made no claim whatsoever; and

f.   number of children broken down by same class;

 and to report the results directly to the July 23, 24 and 25, 2018 City Council meeting.

Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong, rising on a Point of Privilege, stated that Councillor Davis was interrupting him while he is asking questions of staff.

That:

1.  The General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, in consultation with the Deputy City Manager, Internal Corporate Services, report to the June 26, 2018 City Council meeting on the details and status of the semi-permanent structures to be used for delivery of 24-Hour Respite services as outlined in the report (May 30, 2018) from the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration.