City council is being asked to tell the federal government that the City of Windsor can not support anymore asylum seekers.
An administration report going to the March 1 meeting of the Community Services Standing Committee asks council to submit a letter to Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Canada (IRCC), stating that the City of Windsor does not have the capacity or resources to support additional asylum claimants beyond those estimated to be transferred to Windsor based on the current number of secured temporary accommodations.
The federal government has been dealing with an influx in asylum claimants, the majority intercepted at the Quebec and New York border, specifically at the irregular crossing at Roxham Road.
As a result of the strain on the social support system in Quebec, the government has been transferring asylum claimants to municipalities across Ontario, including over 600 to Windsor, and placing them in temporary hotel accommodations.
While various city departments are working with partners in the community, with the province and the federal government to respond to the needs of the asylum seekers, the report says as the number of claimants temporarily living in hotels increases, the City of Windsor and partner organizations anticipate significant, financial and human resources to respond to the new pressures placed on already stressed systems.
Stephen Lynn, Manager of Social Policy and Planning for the City of Windsor, says the IRCC's original transfer of asylum claimants was for 175 hotel rooms but that has since increased to 439 rooms.
"As the amount of transfers are coming in, we're recognizing that we want to be proactive in ensuring that we're able to respond appropriately to the capacity here that we're seeing," he says. "Also to let IRCC know that Windsor, as it currently stands, we don't have the current resources or capacity to deal with anything beyond that amount."
(Ryan Remiorz | La Presse canadienne)
IRCC is responsible for covering the cost of housing and basic needs for asylum claimants.
Lynn says they have a good partnership and lines of communication with IRCC but they're trying to be proactive.
"Foreseeing that there could be challenges in the future if there are additional transfers here, we have concerns around that downward pressure on our housing system," he says. "We want to ensure that the asylum claimants that are here in hotels are not going to fall into our shelter system."
The report says the asylum claimants that have been trasferred to Windsor represent at least 30 nationalities and 18 languages.
Lynn says they feel they can assist the current transfers through the Ontario Works program but are worried about the long-term impact if there are any more transfers.
"We want to ensure that the asylum claimants that are here in Windsor are being cared for from the different types of services or programs they're eligible for," he says. "We just want to make sure that there isn't any negative impact that could take place in the future, so that's why this request is being made."
The report also asks that council send a letter to the appropriate senior levels of government, such as the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, to have them identify and resource a local lead settlement agency to coordinate a response in Windsor and Essex County.
The City of Windsor is also the Consolidated Municipal Service Manager for the delivery of the Ontario Works program within Windsor and Essex County.
In light of the expected growth in caseloads due to the influx of asylum claimants, the department has submitted a one-time funding request to the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services to secure the human resources required to process and maintain the increase in caseloads.
The City of Windsor's Community Services Standing Committee meets at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 1.