Death of Nigerian asylum seeker outside Dundas Street shelter sparks outrage

BY PAUL JUNOR

The unfortunate and tragic death of a Nigerian asylum seeker outside a Dundas Street shelter on Wednesday, November 15^th, 2023, has sparked: anger, frustration and shock among community leaders, civic officials and concerned officials. It has focused attention on the ongoing and unresolved issue of the housing of asylum seekers and refugees in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). It has been four months since this disastrous situation has been brought to the African-Caribbean community’s attention.

A press conference was held outside the Dundas Street shelter on Thursday, November 16^th, 2023, where: Patrick Brown (Mayor of Brampton), Gwyneth Chapman, Zanana Akande, pastoral leaders and others spoke to local media outlets in the shelter housing refugees.

Mayor Brown mentioned that despite numerous calls on different levels of government for immediate relief and long-term solutions to this crisis, there has only been a band-aid response. He stated that approximately 46 to 150 asylum claimants have nowhere to sleep but on the cold concrete in the cold weather. He told the media, “Our shelter capacity is at 321%. We have a capacity for 500 and we’re almost at 1,500. We’re calling on our partners in other levels of government, particularly the federal government to help. I hope that we get that help as quickly as possible.”

He has been promised help from the federal and provincial governments, but so far it has yet to materialize. He notes, “We’ve just heard excuses from other levels of government that help is on its way. It’s going to come, but it hasn’t yet.”

Gwyneth Chapman, Senior Advisor to the City of Brampton’s: Black, African and Caribbean Social, Cultural and Economic Empowerment and Anti-Black Racism Unit has played a role in coordinating the Black community’s response to the crisis. She told a community newspaper, “Sleeping on the street is completely unacceptable. I am so full of anger and disappointment. If you have any tinge of humanity or compassion in you, you would be as livid, as hurt, and as angry as all of us have been.” She states further, “I am urging everyone with a heart to come together, to work together, to continue to build this country that’s known for embracing all people.”

Zanana Akande (former Minister of Housing who served under the NDP government of Bob Rae) has given her voice and presence at many of the press conferences and also spoke. She states, “I insist that the government stop making speeches and start doing something practical.” 

The City of Toronto received $97 million from the federal government out of $212 million to improve housing for asylum seekers and refugees, but it fell short of the $157 million that Toronto Mayor, Olivia Chow requested. There was a subsequent press conference at RTT by the Canadian Black Clergies and Allies (CBCA) describing the situation as a “humanitarian crisis” and called for an apology and investigation from related stakeholders, which has not happened as yet.

Alternative housing has been found for some of them, but there are still about three hundred who have not been housed in shelters. The City of Toronto has initiated a winter shelter plan that can hold an extra 180 beds and made available four warming centers.