Chow signals property tax hike to cover costs of asylum seekers

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says the federal government’s failure to provide sufficient funding for housing asylum seekers could force the city to impose the equivalent of a 2% property tax hike.

Source: Facebook

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says the federal government’s failure to provide sufficient funding for housing asylum seekers could force the city to impose the equivalent of a two per cent property tax hike.

Chow made the remarks during a press conference on Monday, warning that Ottawa’s shortfall in delivering funding is putting pressure on municipal finances.

According to the mayor, Toronto is still waiting on roughly $250 million in federal commitments related to refugee housing and social services.

“If we don’t get the funding, the pressure will land on the property tax base of average Torontonians,” Chow said.

The comments come amid mounting concerns from critics who say Ottawa’s immigration policies have placed an unfair burden on cities without corresponding resources to manage the fallout.

Conservative politicians have repeatedly called on the federal government to reduce intake numbers and provide direct compensation to municipalities that are absorbing the costs of temporary housing, shelter space, and local services for asylum seekers.

Over the summer, Mayor Chow said Toronto had reached a “breaking point” and a $107 million shortfall of funding.

Asylum claims in Canada hit record highs in recent years, many of them routed through irregular border crossings or through international airports.

In Ontario, the increase has strained not only Toronto’s system but also the surrounding regions, some of which have also called for provincial and federal assistance.

The Liberal government in Ottawa has already spent over $2.6 billion on housing for asylum seekers since 2017.

The Liberals stopped funding hotel housing for asylum seekers today. Ottawa previously announced it would end that program in July, while moving 485 asylum seekers from hotels to long-term housing units.