Lack of funding strains Toronto church still caring for refugees

It wasn’t long ago that large groups of African asylum seekers could be seen routinely sleeping on the sidewalks outside the City of Toronto’s Streets To Homes assessment and referral centre on Peter Street. The large and sudden influx of migrants in need compounded the pressure on an already-overflowing shelter system.

Thousands of those refugees were saved from the streets by volunteers at three Toronto-based churches, Revivaltime Tabernacle, Dominion Church International and Pilgrim Feast Tabernacles.

They did what they could to serve hungry refugees, but as the months passed, the expenses became too great to bear for the amount of assistance they received.

Revivaltime shut down its shelter operation in September, while Dominion sent its last batch of asylum seekers off to temporary spaces with the help of the federal government shortly before Christmas.

Pilgrim Feast Tabernacle continues its effort but on a far smaller scale.

Miller and volunteers have done 15-hour shifts, cooking for, cleaning, feeding and clothing an estimated 1,000-1,500 asylum seekers over the last six months, at times allowing hundreds of them to live inside the small church’s premises.

That number is down to just over 30 residents now. Two white buses could be seen outside the church’s front door on Albion Road near Islington Avenue Thursday afternoon. The buses, chartered by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada transported just over 50 migrants from Pilgrim Feast to hotels in Niagara Falls. In previous weeks they’ve taken others to temporary spaces in Windsor and Mississauga.

“The church was never meant to do this,’ said Miller, pointing out that they’ve managed to help care for refugees on a combination of dwindling donations and their own expenditures, which they have been told are not fully reimbursable by the city.

“I’m not looking for a medal from the government of Canada, but what I am looking for is financial help … I need the government to decide they want to speak to us. They need our help. We need their help. Let’s work together.”

Answering questions via email, City of Toronto spokesperson Russell Baker told Global News, “As of December 17, the City was supporting 11,181 people – 9,370 people in the shelter system and 1,811 people outside the shelter system in bridging hotels and programs supported by the Canadian Red Cross. Of these, 5,372 are refugee claimants – or 48 per cent of the total number of people being supported.”

Baker wrote that the City gave Revivaltime, Pilgrim Feast and Dominion $50,000 each in September to help with the costs of the refugee response. Later that month, city council included the latter two churches in a plan to divide $750,000 in funds among 22 eligible community organizations.

“Dominion Church received $140,015 from its reimbursement application, bringing the total they have received to $190,015,” wrote Baker.

“Pilgrim Feast Tabernacles received $235,305 from its reimbursement application, bringing the total they have received to $285,305.”

City officials realize that is not enough to fund the churches’ efforts, but say City Hall itself isn’t getting enough from Ottawa.

“In December, the City of Toronto received confirmation that $35 million will be paid to the City by the Federal government, which still leaves $165 million in required funding for the City to manage refugee claimant costs … the City continues to call on its federal partners for all remaining 2023 expenses by year-end.”

With the arrival of winter, shelter systems around the GTA are full, and alternative programs are struggling. That leaves refugees like Rasidat, who says she came to Pilgrim Feast from Nigeria to flee persecution for her sexual orientation, worrying about the future.

“We’re still looking for shelter,” she told Global News, pointing toward her children.

Officials at both Pilgrim Feast and Dominion Church have discussed plans to raise funds for, buy and re-zone property to open up their own shelters for asylum claimants. Pilgrim Feast is hoping to open a space in Toronto, while Dominion is eyeing a spot in Peterborough. Those plans, however, are still in their early stages.