FCJ Refugee Centre

We are thrilled to invite you to the Undocumented Residents Day event, on Thursday August 24th.

For more than 30 years, the FCJ Refugee Centre has been amplifying the voices of Toronto’s most marginalized communities. We are proud to continue working alongside The City to invite all Torontonians to increase awareness, engage in discussion, and embrace Toronto as a true Sanctuary City, where everyone is welcome and treated with dignity. A Toronto we can all be proud of.

Undocumented Residents Day features an exhibition showcasing artwork and stories from undocumented residents in Toronto sharing their experiences. This collection of art and community materials is presented in the City Hall Rotunda from August 21st to 24th. The display, which is free and open to the public, has been organized by the City of Toronto’s Newcomer Office in collaboration with FCJ Refugee Centre, Access Alliance, and Migrants Rights Network.

It is our belief that by shedding light on these stories, we can work towards a more informed and supportive community that recognizes the importance of equal rights and opportunities for all.

In 2013, the City of Toronto was the first Canadian municipality to adopt an Access without Fear Policy to ensure access to City services, regardless of immigration status. More information about the policy is available on the City’s website.

Toronto is home to more than three million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities.

On the occasion of Undocumented Residents Day, the City emphasised that, “as the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation and climate action, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses.”

Mayor Olivia Chow and Councillor Shelley Carroll (Don Valley North), Vice-Chair of the Economic and Community Development Committee, in partnership with the FCJ Refugee Centre and Access Alliance, will join members of the community to recognize Undocumented Residents Day.

Date: Thursday, August 24
Time: 5:30 p.m. (speakers begin at 5:45 p.m.)
Location: Rotunda, City Hall, 100 Queen St. W.

To confirm your participation in the, follow the link:
https://s.cotsurvey.chkmkt.com/UndocumentedResidentsDays

We hope to see you on Thursday August 24th at 5:30 p.m. to mark Undocumented Residents Day in Toronto!

The Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture (CCVT) is announcing the establishment of the Francisco Rico-Martínez Award. This distinguished award is a tribute to Francisco who was an unwavering champion of refugees and marginalized communities. We are excited to share this opportunity with you, and we believe that your commitment to social justice aligns perfectly with the spirit of this award.

This award will honour two exceptional students enrolled in a relevant post-secondary institution. Each recipient will be awarded  a prize of $2500, recognizing their outstanding dedication to the advancement of refugee rights and marginalized populations.

This award is inspired by Francisco’s enduring legacy as a refugee himself and his visionary contributions as the co-founder of the FCJ Refugee Centre.

Please find the guidelines here:

African groups, groups working with refugees —including FCJ Refugee Centre—, people experiencing homelessness, and other civil society groups gathered this morning on 129 Peter Street, the City of Toronto Referral and Assessment Centre, to call on all levels of government to urgently provide emergency housing and support, in order to address the current shelter system crisis that is impacting unhoused refugee claimants and migrants in Toronto.

The organizations called on all orders of government to establish temporary reception centres for refugee claimants and migrants, so they can receive short term shelter and appropriate wraparound supports as their refugee claims are processed, including providing immediate emergency street outreach and mobile resources, and health care support.

They also demanded funding for shelter support services that include appropriate services for refugee claimants and migrants, and use an anti-Black racism and anti-racism framework.

In that regard, they stressed that a significant proportion of refugee claimants in Toronto who are unhoused and without any shelter or community services and support are or African origin. African groups and civil society organizations are deeply concerned, they said, that there appears to be a lack of action to address the housing crisis faced by African, racialized refugee claimants. There are approximately 30 or more African people at any given time sleeping on cardboard outside of the 129 Peter Street location in Toronto.

“As a refugee that came to Canada 33 years ago, I am standing here in solidarity with my sisters and brothers that are sleeping on the streets, and to say shame on the Government of Canada,” said Loly Rico, Executive Director of FCJ Refugee Centre.

“This is not the first time that we see waves of refugees coming to Canada after a conflict rise in the world. There was always a bed for them. But this is the first time that we are seeing refugees sleeping on the streets. This is a shame. We should be ready for this situation,” she added.

“I am standing here to demand to the different levels of government to take responsibility. We ask the City of Toronto to open more emergency beds now, and to establish a reception centre for refugee claimants and precarious migrants,” said Rico.

“It is very sad to see people lining up looking and hoping to have a bed today. Enough is enough. Stop blaming refugees,” said Loly Rico. “This is a government responsibility, and especially for the Federal Government. We ask Prime Minister to take action and not just words. He always says that refugees ar welcome. Then do it and welcome them, in the same way that we have being welcoming refugees in the past and giving them the chance to have a new beginning with dignity,” she added.

The representatives who participated in the event pointed out that “in response to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, all orders of government acted quickly to support displaced people, including providing shelter, housing, and services.” “Civil society organizations call on governments to show the same compassion to refugees and migrants from other parts of the world,” they added.

The organizations said that unhoused people on the street face sexual exploitation and high levels of violence, as well as inadequate food and healthcare: “As new arrivals in Canada, refugee claimants’ unfamiliarity with Toronto has left them more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.”

Together with the Executive Director of FCJ Refugee Centre, Loly Rico, also speaking at the event were Diane Walter, Executive Director at Margaret’s Housing and Community Support Services; Kizito Musabimana, from the Rwandan Canadian Healing Centre; Debbie Hill-Corrigan, Executive Director at Sojourn House; Manny Wong, Executive Director of Christie Refugee Welcome Centre; Siu Mee Cheng, Executive Director of Street Haven; Mr. Asuman, a migrant from Uganda; Debbie Douglas, Executive Director at OCASI; Christopher Nkambwe, from the African groups; Pastor Eddie Jjumba, Ugandan Canadian community leader; and Dr. Meb Rashid, Medical Director at The Crossroads Clinic, Women’s College Hospital, University of Toronto.

Here is our Summer 2023 Newsletter! In this issue you will find information about our latest street party, the World Refugee Day march (in which we took part), and the FCJ Refugee Centre Annual General Meeting, together with an in-depth article on labour trafficking, how this problem is reflected in the news, the work FCJ continues to do to fight it and why we support the Status For All campaign.

You will also find everything you need to know about Ride for Refuge, our biggest annual fundraising campaign, and how to get involved; testimonials from our summer students; updates about our upcoming events and our latest podcasts; follow ups on our Capacity Development Training program and the collaborative project A Roadmap to Justice, and much more.

Media release

FCJ Refugee Centre
COSTI Community Services
Skills For Change

Toronto / June 28, 2023

Community groups in Toronto are calling on the governments of Canada and Ontario, and Toronto’s Mayor-elect to act urgently to provide emergency and long-term shelter for refugee claimants in Toronto.

A significant number of refugee claimants continue to arrive in Toronto and other Ontario communities. The number of refugee claimants arriving in Toronto in particular continues to be high, even after the expansion of the Safe Third Country Agreement to irregular crossings of the Canada-US border and the closure of Roxham Road.

Mr. M.H., a refugee claimant from Ethiopia has been sleeping on the streets for the last three weeks. He has not been able to find a bed in a Toronto emergency shelter. Every day he comes to a local refugee house hoping for better news, and a shelter bed.

“Every morning we find refugee claimants lined up outside our door, hoping that this is the day they can get a shelter bed. This is a crisis. We cannot abandon our responsibilities to refugee claimants – especially children. We are counting on our new Mayor Olivia Chow, and the federal and provincial governments to work with us to find an immediate solution to the urgent shelter and housing crisis refugee claimants are facing” – Loly Rico, Executive Director of FCJ Refugee Centre and Provincial Director, OCASI.

“Globally, the number of people forcibly displaced is at an all-time high. We have done well in welcoming displaced Ukrainians. Let’s do better to welcome refugee claimants fleeing other conflicts and persecution. We call on all orders of government to step up to provide emergency shelter and supports for refugee claimants” – Yasmine Dossal, Director, Social Services at COSTI and Toronto Regional Director, OCASI.

“As we face the Ethiopian refugee crisis in Toronto, it is crucial that we acknowledge its criticality and the urgent need for action. Refugees have left their homes, seeking safety and a better future. We have a moral responsibility to provide comprehensive support, including education, healthcare, and employment opportunities, enabling them to rebuild their lives and contribute to society. By investing in their well-being and empowering them, we not only offer a chance for a brighter future but also enrich our communities with their diverse perspectives and talents. Let us stand in solidarity, extending our compassion and support to Ethiopian refugees in Toronto as they embark on their journey of healing, resilience, and hope.” – Surranna Sandy, CEO, Skills for Change

Community groups have sent an open letter to the City of Toronto, and to the governments of Canada and Ontario, calling for urgent action. The groups are calling on the newly-elected Toronto Mayor to:

• Receive refugee claimants arriving in Toronto;
• Provide emergency shelter in Toronto with support to transition to long-term housing; and
• Provide support services

They are calling on the federal and provincial governments to:

• Ensure refugee claimants at Toronto Pearson Airport and other international airports are received appropriately;
• Resource municipalities to provide emergency shelter in Toronto with support to transition to long-term housing;
• Resource community-based organizations to provide shelter and housing, and support services.

Contact:

Loly Rico – 416-399-5105 or lolyrico@fcjrefugeecentre.org
Yasmine Dossal – 416-402-0561 or Yasmine.Dossal@costi.org
Sampada Kukade – 647-293-4445 or skukade@skillsforchange.org
Carolina Teves – 647-606-0440 or cteves@fcjrefugeecentre.org