Mohammed Alhasan breathed a sigh of relief when he landed in Montreal earlier this year, fleeing the violence in Syria.The refugee claimant decided Toronto would be his new home: a big city touted for its sanctuary status and better access to services for newcomers. But ever since he arrived in late March, Alhasan has been trapped in the city’s shelter system alongside thousands of other refugees, who have nowhere else to stay while they wait for their claims to be approved.“We come here to try to save our lives,” Alhasan said. “But, as a refugee, my hope is almost gone now.”As of this month, refugees make up nearly 38 per cent of Toronto’s shelter population on any given night, according to city data. That’s up from 11.2 per cent two years ago. The sharp increase worries city staff, already dealing with a continuing crisis of capacity that has not relented even though temperatures have warmed.At a Thursday morning press conference, Mayor John Tory and city officials said the status quo will not suffice and that help is needed immediately from other governments so the city can continue to welcome refugees.“The City of Toronto is here to help. We are committed to providing shelter and support to all those who need it,” Tory said at city hall. “But we can no longer do it alone.”Knowing no one, Alhasan arrived in Toronto after a five-hour bus ride one frigid night with just a phone number for the city’s shelter program. They told him the only location with space was the Better Living Centre, pressed into service this winter as a 24-7 cold-weather respite centre. “I was in shock,” said Alhasan. “Very nasty place.”The centre was overcrowded. Fights would break out. Some people used drugs and left needles in bathrooms.He continues to bounce from shelter to shelter while he waits for the federal government to process his claim.Government-assisted refugees automatically find ...
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