Building Capacity

Immigrant Housing Support Services City of Toronto

Shelter, Support and Housing Administration Division

CERIS Precarious Housing among Migrant Communities: A Multi-Sectoral Discussion Thursday, May 15, 2014

Immigration Statistics

In 2011, Canada’s foreign-born population of about 6,775,800 people. It is 20.6% of the total population, the highest proportion among the G8 countries. Asia (including the Middle East) was Canada's largest source of immigrants during the past five years, although the share of immigration from Africa, Caribbean, Central and South America increased slightly. Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec and Alberta

Immigration Statistics

3,611,400 immigrants or 53.3% of population in Ontario People tend to migrate when they are relatively young. In 2011, 58.6% of people who came to Canada since 2006 were in the core working age group between 25 and 54. Immigrant children aged 14 and under who came in the last five years accounted for 19.2% of the newcomer population, and another 14.5% were between the ages of 15 and 24.

One-half of the City of Toronto’s residents are foreign born

Almost half of the City of Toronto’s residents are members of racialized groups

Toronto a Settlement Destination

The CMA of Toronto had the largest share of foreign-born of the urban centres, 37.4% of all foreign-born in Canada. About 2,537,400 immigrants lived in CMA of Toronto in 2011; they accounted for 46.0% of Toronto area’s total population, up slightly from 45.7% in 2006. 2006-2011, over 381,700 newcomers settled in Toronto, about one-third (32.8%) of the total, the highest share.

Appropriate Housing is an Immigrant Settlement Issue

“For immigrants and refugees, finding a suitable place to

live in a supportive community is an important first step towards successful integration.

For many newcomers, the process of finding appropriate

housing is made more difficult by the lack of adequate financial resources, high housing costs, a shortage of rental vacancies, and discriminatory practices in the housing market.”

(Murdie, R.A., p. 147 in Hulchanski and Shapcott, eds., Finding Room. Toronto: CUCS Press, 2004)

Multi-lingual and case management services in partnership with the community social services including

Housing Help Services Drop-in Services Tenant Hotline Streets to Homes Program Immigrant and Refugee Housing Committee

Examples of Programs That Respond to the Needs of Newcomers

Newcomer Support Initiatives

Birkdale Residence COSTI Reception Centre Christie Refugee Welcome Centre Family Residence Woodgreen Red Door Family Shelter Sojourn House Toronto Community Hostel

Current SSHA Funding to Support Newcomers

Examples of Specialized Shelter Programs for Newcomers

Immigrant and Refugee Housing Committee (IRHC)

IRHC was created in 1992 as a task group for a City of Toronto

sponsored consultation to respond to an influx of refugees Subsequently, the Committee’s mandate has been expanded to

include the development of strategies and initiatives to deal with the housing needs of immigrants and refugees

IRHC Goals

Supporting vulnerable immigrants Networking & collaboration Capacity building Public Education & Advocacy

IRHC Membership

Over 25 non-profit organizations are active in the housing and

immigrant serving sectors Researchers (University and other organizations) City of Toronto staff Minutes and announcements are distributed to over 120 people

on a regular basis IRHC members are involved with other networks serving

refugees and immigrants Online Information

Response to Challenges

Capacity Building

Information Sharing Public Education Training Projects including the FCJ Refugee Centre, Salvation

Army, COSTI North York Housing Help, and City staff Research

Response to Challenges

Program Development and Advocacy Red Cross First Contact Sojourn House Newcomer Housing Services Romero House Transitional Housing

IRHC Working Groups

Public Education Workshops & Forums

Partnerships Findhelp Toronto Affordable Renters & Housing Sector

Response to Challenges

Outreach and Public Education Information Flyer for Refugees and Service Providers Workshops and Forums

A Networking Model for other Cities

Research & Policy

Research Proposal A Profile of Relative Homelessness Among Toronto’s Immigrants

and Refugees

Contributions to Research Projects City of Toronto Refugee Housing Study Mayor’s Homelessness Action Task Force Study Updating the CMHC “Housing Guide for Newcomers” CIC & City of Toronto study of emerging issues for service

providers and immigrants, new trends, and best practices Manitoba’s Research Alliance Study (Winnipeg) Hotham Mission Asylum Seeker Project (Victoria, Australia)

Settlement Issues Youth

The visible minority population is generally younger than the overall total population.

Many visible minorities were immigrants who came to

Canada in recent decades.

Youth Immigrant Challenges

Refugee experience, loss of loved ones, family separation, mental health and culture shock, identity confusion Systemic racism Drop-out from/ kicked out of schools, unemployment Poverty, inadequate housing Crime and gang involvement, immigration issues, deportation

Programs for Youth

Toronto Youth Cabinet Ending the Risk Among the Hispanic Youth Grafitti Arts Initiative Community Development Youth

Apprenticeship Program Hispanic Youth Homelessness Prevention Breaking the Cycle of violence Gang Prevention/ Gang Intervention Breaking the Cycle of

Violence Provincial funding to support African immigrant youth

For further information please visit: www.toronto.ca/housing

Azar Farahani 416- 392-0068

afaraha@toronto.ca