The federal government says it is working directly with the city to house asylum-seekers after the province, under Premier Doug Ford, refused to help in co-ordinating a response.

Toronto is under pressure to house hundreds of refugees, including 800 that having been living in two college dormitories.

The asylum-seekers, including more than 250 children, need to be rehoused in just over three weeks when the dorms are returned to student use.

“With Toronto facing pressure to find housing for this cohort of individuals, in-depth discussion has resulted in strong collaboration between Toronto and the federal government to ensure this matter will be resolved in advance of the early August deadline,” a release from immigration minister Ahmed Hussen’s office said Monday.

Read more:

Editorial | Doug Ford must end dangerous rhetoric on asylum seekers

Toronto can’t handle influx of refugee claimants, Tory tells Ottawa

More than half of refugee claimants in Toronto’s temporary shelters are children, new figures show

That release promised “active support” for Toronto but few details. It also outlined that immediate aid earlier promised for Ontario, totalling $11 million, would be sent directly to Toronto, not to the province, to be dispersed.

That money will be available “in the coming weeks,” the release said.

Mayor John Tory has continually called for help in housing refugees, many of whom are making their way across the border from the United States into Quebec and then on to Toronto.

The latest numbers from Ottawa show fewer people are crossing the border that way in recent months. According to the release, June marked the fewest irregular border-crossers entering Canada in a year, at 1,263 people. In May, there were 57 claims made per day on average, compared to 39 in June.

Toronto officials have totalled the direct costs of housing refugees claimants in 2017 and 2018 at $64.5 million and counting.

Beyond funding, Tory has said they need help finding housing locations, with the city unprepared to close community centres and other city-owned spaces. Those living in the dormitories take precedence.

“We are working with the city to locate alternative spaces for those people,” Mathieu Genest, a spokesperson from Hussen’s office, told the Star on Monday.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Tory thanked Hussen and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday, calling it “an important first step” that he knows won’t be the last.

“I’m confident that the federal government will honour its commitment to helping Toronto and that more co-operation, including funding, will be forthcoming,” he said in an emailed statement.

Read more about: