AGRI - Vulnerable Populations - May 22, 2020

Key messages

This Government has taken steps by investing $157.5M to support municipalities in addressing people living in vulnerable situations, including the homeless, during the pandemic with supports for social distancing and other pressing needs.
The Government has also invested $40M to help women’s shelters and sexual assault centres strengthen their ability to manage or prevent an outbreak in their facilities.
Furthermore, organizations like Food Banks Canada who are on the frontlines of ensuring people receive food support, are receiving $100M in support.
Under the Interim Housing Assistance Program, the Government has provided over $370M to affected provinces and municipalities to help alleviate asylum-related housing pressures. So far, $250M has been provided to Quebec; $88M to the City of Toronto; $17.1M to the City of Ottawa; $6M to British Columbia; $8M to Manitoba; $2.2M to Peel and $220,000 to Hamilton.

Canada's Interim Federal Health Program provides temporary health coverage to asylum claimants who are not eligible for provincial or territorial health care coverage, including failed claimants.
At this time, asylum claimants can renew a work permit, but cannot apply for a new one, as this requires an eligibility decision on their claim and these decisions are currently on hold.
No removals of failed asylum claimants are currently taking place (date for resumption is to be confirmed).
In the context of COVID-19, asylum claimants and protected persons may be eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), a temporary income support for residents of Canada who have stopped working because of COVID-19, as long as they meet the eligibility requirements.
Foreign nationals who believe that they have been the victim of human trafficking may be eligible for a temporary resident permit. Individuals may self-identify as victims of human trafficking to IRCC or they may be referred to IRCC by a non-governmental organization or law enforcement authority.

More than 63,000 people transitioned from worker status to permanent residence in Canada in 2019.
Temporary residents who have lost their status in Canada have 90 days to restore their status.

Anyone can immigrate to Canada provided they meet the criteria and are admissible. There are a number of avenues that applicants for permanent residence can consider in order to immigrate to Canada, including Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Program, and several innovative pilot programs for which they may be eligible.
Everyone has the right to due process of law. However, once a person has exhausted all avenues afforded by the asylum system to pursue their claim, we expect them to comply with Canadian immigration laws.

A foreign national who receives a temporary resident permit as a victim of human trafficking also becomes eligible for an open work permit, if the permit has been issued for 180 days, and for coverage under the Interim Federal Health Program.
Initial temporary resident permits are typically issued for up to 180 days and are fee exempt. With legal status and a work permit, victims of human trafficking are in a better position to escape the influence of their traffickers, begin to recover mentally and physically from their ordeal and consider their options for the future.
Foreign nationals can take this time and opportunity to apply for any other type of temporary or permanent status that they may be eligible for. In accordance with international best practices, victims are not required to collaborate with enforcement agencies or testify against their traffickers in order to receive the permit.

As part of its COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, the Federal Government announced an additional $157.5M for Reaching Home, the Federal Homelessness Program led by Employment and Social Development Canada. This investment essentially doubles existing funding to municipalities across the country for homelessness and expands how funding can be used. This funding can be used for a range of needs such as purchasing beds and physical barriers for social distancing and securing accommodation to reduce overcrowding in shelters.

In response to COVID-19, the Federal Government announced the creation of an Emergency Community Services Fund of $350M to support the charitable and non-profit sector response to COVID-19. This fund will provide additional capacity to help the sector develop and enhance services for the populations that they serve who are vulnerable to COVID-19 effects, including seniors, youth at risk, women, the LGBTQ2 community, newcomers, refugees and asylum claimants. Funding will be available nationally and delivered to the not for profit and charitable sector through Community Foundations Canada, the United Way and the Red Cross.

The Federal Government has committed up to $100M for Canadian food banks and other national food rescue organizations to help improve access to food for people experiencing food insecurity in Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds can be used for a variety of purposes such as purchasing food and necessities, hiring temporary staff to backfill for volunteer shortages and distribute food. Organizations that will receive funding include Food Banks Canada, Salvation Army, Second Harvest, Community Food Centres Canada, and Breakfast Club of Canada, and they will work together to meet urgent food needs.

In April 2020, the Prime Minister announced up to $40M for Women and Gender Equality Canada to address immediate needs of shelters and sexual assault centres. Up to $26M will be provided to Women’s Shelters Canada to distribute to approximately 575 violence against women shelters across the country; and up to $4M will be given to the Canadian Women’s Foundation to distribute the funding to sexual assault centres across the country. Up to $10M to be provided to Indigenous Services Canada's existing network of 46 emergency shelters on reserve and in Yukon to support Indigenous women and children fleeing violence.

Unprecedented levels of asylum claims since 2017 have placed pressure on provincial and municipal social services. In response, the Federal Government created the Interim Housing Assistance Program and set aside $474M to share the costs incurred by provinces and municipalities in 2017 through 2019.
The Interim Housing Assistance Program provides grants to provinces and municipalities to offset costs incurred in the provision of interim housing (typically shelters) for asylum claimants. Under the Interim Housing Assistance Program, the Government has provided over $370M to affected provinces and municipalities to help alleviate asylum-related housing pressures. So far, $250M has been provided to Quebec; $88M to the City of Toronto; $17.1M to the City of Ottawa; $6M to British Columbia; $8M to Manitoba; $2.2M to Peel and $220,000 to Hamilton.