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A former North York hydro site now being used as a refugee shelter is costing taxpayers at least $1-million per month, theToronto Sun has confirmed.

The city is paying $42,000 per month to the Times Group Corp. to use the 5800 Yonge St. site, which opened its doors on Tuesday.

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City spokesman Andrea Gonsalves also confirmed the city has been paying the monthly rent to the owner since January of this year even though the site sat vacant until this week.

But that’s not all. Gonsalves said it is costing the city another $45,000 per month to provide heat and light to this 80,000-square-foot building, about two-thirds of which is being used to house some 200 refugees, 120 of them female and another 80 male.

Homes First Society Patricia Mueller told the Toronto Sun during a tour of the facility last Friday that the owners of the building felt the need to “give back” to the community.

The owners didn’t attend the tour, but were quoted in subsequent media stories as saying their company is bringing in a “lot less” than it would have if they’d rented it as a commercial property.