In first motion as mayor, Chow gets unanimous support for refugee shelter response
Jordan Omstead
Published Jul 19, 2023 •
Newly elected Mayor Olivia Chow waves to the crowd at council chambers during her Declaration of Office Ceremony, at Toronto City Hall on July 12, 2023.
PHOTO BY TIJANA MARTIN /The Canadian Press
Olivia Chow placed Toronto’s asylum seeker shelter crisis at the top of the agenda on Wednesday, securing unanimous approval on a motion to tackle the issue during her first city council meeting as mayor.
Chow billed the motion as the first concrete steps taken under her leadership to open up shelter spaces for asylum seekers and move more people to permanent housing.
“This is a down payment. It’s a beginning,” Chow, who was elected in a byelection last month, said during Wednesday’s city council meeting.
The motion — Chow’s first as mayor — directs staff to immediately open up 150 shelter spaces for refugee claimants, primarily by renewing shelter hotel contracts, and to find 100 more spaces in the coming days.
Chow indicated support for those spaces would in part come from the $97 million in federal funding earmarked for Toronto on Tuesday to help shelter asylum claimants.
Chow and Ontario Premier Doug Ford welcomed Ottawa’s funding announcement but said it still fell short of the $157 million the city needed to help shelter the roughly 3,000 asylum claimants who make up about a third of Toronto’s shelter capacity.
“We are calling on the federal government to build on its stop-gap funding by fully funding the supports needed to shelter and care for these refugees and asylum seekers in the city,” Ford and Chow wrote in a joint statement Wednesday.
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Ottawa has recognized the issue demands collaboration but has said housing and support for asylum claimants is a matter for the city and province.
Chow made the issue of sheltering refugee claimants and asylum seekers a focus of her first week in office, holding meetings with senior officials across levels of governments and lobbying for additional support.
The issue took on elevated urgency as some claimants were left to sleep on city sidewalks outside a homeless support centre in recent days as different levels of government wrangled over funding, while frontline advocates and community groups stepped in with support.
A controversial city policy, brought in under Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie before Chow was elected, has seen asylum claimants looking for a spot in non-refugee-specific Toronto shelters directed toward federal programs.
Chow’s motion, seconded by McKelvie, included a line that everyone, regardless of immigration status, would be able to access the city’s shelter system “as space becomes available.”
“This is just the first step of many to come,” McKelvie said Wednesday. “We want to be a home that welcomes refugees, we want to be a Toronto for everyone, but we need support to do that.”
Chow’s motion also saw council approve a one-time $6.67-million top up to a rental housing subsidy program, matched by the provincial government.
In the joint statement Wednesday, Ford and Chow said the combined funding would immediately provide permanent housing to upwards of 1,350 households.
They called on the federal government to step up with another $26.7 million for the program, saying historically the federal government funds two-thirds of the program.
“We must do more and do more quickly to fix this crisis. We urgently call on the federal government to join us in supporting these vulnerable newcomers,” the joint statement read.
The motion approved by council Wednesday includes a number of other measures, including a direction to city staff to develop an outreach strategy to pair refugee claimants eligible for the subsidy with property owners with suitable rental accommodations.
It also gives city staff the authority to enter into agreements to help establish a federally funded reception centre for refugee claimants arriving at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.
Chow says agencies have pushed her to advocate for a centralized location where refugees can connect with service providers as soon as they reach Toronto.
In the joint statement Wednesday, Ford and Chow said the combined funding would immediately provide permanent housing to upwards of 1,350 households.
They called on the federal government to step up with another $26.7 million for the program, saying historically the federal government funds two-thirds of the program.
“We must do more and do more quickly to fix this crisis. We urgently call on the federal government to join us in supporting these vulnerable newcomers,” the joint statement read.
The motion approved by council Wednesday includes a number of other measures, including a direction to city staff to develop an outreach strategy to pair refugee claimants eligible for the subsidy with property owners with suitable rental accommodations.
It also gives city staff the authority to enter into agreements to help establish a federally funded reception centre for refugee claimants arriving at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.
Chow says agencies have pushed her to advocate for a centralized location where refugees can connect with service providers as soon as they reach Toronto.
Is Toronto about to get a makeover? Chow could set new tone with council appointments: experts
CBC
Wed, July 19, 2023
Mayor Olivia Chow is seen during a ceremony at Toronto City Hall, officially taking office as mayor of Toronto, on July 12, 2023. (Alex Lupul/CBC - image credit)
Is Toronto City Hall on the cusp of a serious makeover?
Newly-elected Mayor Olivia Chow has signaled that change is coming to key committees and appointments, and it looks like she'll be applying more than just a fresh coat of paint.
A motion coming to council this week, which will be one of Chow's key items at her first meeting, kickstarts the work.
Chow said she's been busy talking with members of council about their priorities since she won the city's top job last month.
Among those priorities, she said, are a "deepening housing crisis, a sense of unease in our communities, and a transit system that is less reliable."
"It is through these conversations that I have been made even more hopeful for the future of our city because I can see clear common ground across city council."
If passed, Toronto's clerk will continue the discussions the new mayor started with councillors about where they'd like to be appointed to committees, local boards, city corporations and other agencies. That will be followed by a report recommending a new slate of appointments for council's consideration, potentially as early as September.
Appointments may reflect approach of past mayors
The appointments matter.
Council committees are key pinch-points that can speed up or slow down a mayor's policy agenda. So, understandably, mayors tend to wield the power they have to appoint the chairs and members of those committees to make their lives easier.
Former councillor John Filion said Chow's motion suggests she may being trying to strike a more conciliatory tone than just installing key allies. It might also mean that when she unveils her choices, they'll reflect councillors across the political spectrum, he added.
Filion said former mayors Mel Lastman and David Miller did to try to keep the peace at council. Chow herself was appointed by Lastman as the city's child advocate even though the two differed in their politics.
"I expect that she will be including everybody who's willing to work with her and move the city ahead together," he said.
Filion said the appointments process also has the potential to establish, or deepen, good working relationships among councillors themselves, he added. Chow will want to minimize dysfunction at city hall to pass her agenda, he said.
"When people are fighting, especially when they're fighting over nothing, it just uses up so much time and energy," he added.
Former councillor Joe Mihevc said Chow has two aims with the appointments: to strike a balance of power on council and to keep people happy. Neither is easy.
"She needs at least 15 or 16 people that are happy and that will support her in her agenda," he said.
There's a lot more on the council agenda, which you can find here, and CBC Toronto has taken a deeper dive into some of the topics. You can also watch the meeting live on the city's YouTube page or attend in person should your schedule allow.
Drinking in parks
Yes, once again, city council will debate the merits of cracking a cold beer (or whatever alcoholic beverage you prefer) in a local park.
In a proposed pilot project, some councillors have nominated several parks while others have not. It's also worth pointing out, based on the report, that the city hasn't issued a single ticket for this bylaw offence this year.
Snow-clearing concerns
Snow-clearing has been the subject of two auditor general reports and a variance report shows the city spent some $26 million more than anticipated on the service last winter.
Councillors have been critical of that service, so expect more at council.
A leaf-blower ban?
Perhaps more in season than snow-clearing, council will debate a proposed ban on leaf-blowers.
Stiffer rules for running for office
If you followed the hoopla around 102 candidates running for mayor in the last byelection, you might want to keep an eye on this motion, which aims to change some of the eligibility rules.
CBC
Wed, July 19, 2023
Mayor Olivia Chow is seen during a ceremony at Toronto City Hall, officially taking office as mayor of Toronto, on July 12, 2023. (Alex Lupul/CBC - image credit)
Is Toronto City Hall on the cusp of a serious makeover?
Newly-elected Mayor Olivia Chow has signaled that change is coming to key committees and appointments, and it looks like she'll be applying more than just a fresh coat of paint.
A motion coming to council this week, which will be one of Chow's key items at her first meeting, kickstarts the work.
Chow said she's been busy talking with members of council about their priorities since she won the city's top job last month.
Among those priorities, she said, are a "deepening housing crisis, a sense of unease in our communities, and a transit system that is less reliable."
"It is through these conversations that I have been made even more hopeful for the future of our city because I can see clear common ground across city council."
If passed, Toronto's clerk will continue the discussions the new mayor started with councillors about where they'd like to be appointed to committees, local boards, city corporations and other agencies. That will be followed by a report recommending a new slate of appointments for council's consideration, potentially as early as September.
Appointments may reflect approach of past mayors
The appointments matter.
Council committees are key pinch-points that can speed up or slow down a mayor's policy agenda. So, understandably, mayors tend to wield the power they have to appoint the chairs and members of those committees to make their lives easier.
Former councillor John Filion said Chow's motion suggests she may being trying to strike a more conciliatory tone than just installing key allies. It might also mean that when she unveils her choices, they'll reflect councillors across the political spectrum, he added.
Filion said former mayors Mel Lastman and David Miller did to try to keep the peace at council. Chow herself was appointed by Lastman as the city's child advocate even though the two differed in their politics.
"I expect that she will be including everybody who's willing to work with her and move the city ahead together," he said.
Filion said the appointments process also has the potential to establish, or deepen, good working relationships among councillors themselves, he added. Chow will want to minimize dysfunction at city hall to pass her agenda, he said.
"When people are fighting, especially when they're fighting over nothing, it just uses up so much time and energy," he added.
Former councillor Joe Mihevc said Chow has two aims with the appointments: to strike a balance of power on council and to keep people happy. Neither is easy.
"She needs at least 15 or 16 people that are happy and that will support her in her agenda," he said.
There's a lot more on the council agenda, which you can find here, and CBC Toronto has taken a deeper dive into some of the topics. You can also watch the meeting live on the city's YouTube page or attend in person should your schedule allow.
Drinking in parks
Yes, once again, city council will debate the merits of cracking a cold beer (or whatever alcoholic beverage you prefer) in a local park.
In a proposed pilot project, some councillors have nominated several parks while others have not. It's also worth pointing out, based on the report, that the city hasn't issued a single ticket for this bylaw offence this year.
Snow-clearing concerns
Snow-clearing has been the subject of two auditor general reports and a variance report shows the city spent some $26 million more than anticipated on the service last winter.
Councillors have been critical of that service, so expect more at council.
A leaf-blower ban?
Perhaps more in season than snow-clearing, council will debate a proposed ban on leaf-blowers.
Stiffer rules for running for office
If you followed the hoopla around 102 candidates running for mayor in the last byelection, you might want to keep an eye on this motion, which aims to change some of the eligibility rules.
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