Today, Chair of the 416 Liberal Caucus, Hon. John McKay P.C., M.P.,
issued the following statement:

“As the Prime Minister has said, it is unacceptable in a city like Toronto that vulnerable asylum
seekers have to be sleeping in the streets.

As Toronto MPs, we will continue to advocate for long-term and effective solutions to the city’s housing shortage. Since the beginning, our government has been there for Canadians by creating the first-ever National Housing Strategy in 2017, and our recent Housing Accelerator Fund to help increase supply and speed up construction. And, just last week, we announced $212 million across the country through the Interim Housing Assistance Program to help vulnerable asylum seekers, with almost $100 million directly for the City of Toronto.

However, we cannot accomplish this work alone, and we are continuing to call on the Government of Ontario to step up and work with the federal government and the City of Toronto to ensure asylum seekers have the supports they need – especially access to housing. This partnership is crucial not only for people coming to Canada, but for the members of the communities who want to welcome them.

We understand the importance of the task at hand and know that Minister Miller and Minister Fraser will work tirelessly to move forward on creative solutions and continue this important work.”

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Hon. John McKay P.C., M.P.
Scarborough-Guildwood