New Funding to Support Housing for Asylum Claimants in Canada (2024)
TL;DR — On January 18, 2024, the Government of Canada announced new federal funding through the Interim Housing Assistance Program (IHAP) to support provinces, municipalities, and shelter providers offering temporary housing to asylum claimants. The funding addresses the surge in asylum-claimant volumes in receiving cities — primarily Toronto, Montreal, and other major centres — and represents one of several federal measures responding to housing pressures linked to recent migration.
What was announced
The announcement included:
- Federal funding through IHAP to provincial and municipal governments providing housing to asylum claimants.
- Direct support to shelter providers through agreements with municipalities.
- Coordination with provinces to ensure that funding flows to areas under greatest pressure.
- Capacity-building for shelter networks expanding their physical infrastructure.
The specific dollar amounts have been adjusted multiple times since the initial announcement, with subsequent commitments through 2024 and 2025 increasing the available envelope.
Context: the asylum-claimant surge
Canada saw a significant rise in asylum claims through 2022-2024, driven by:
- Global displacement linked to conflicts in Ukraine, Sudan, Haiti, Venezuela, and elsewhere.
- Asylum claims at Canadian airports — historically modest, but elevated in 2023.
- Land-border claims under the Safe Third Country Agreement (with the U.S.) — limited but ongoing.
- Mexican asylum claims that surged in 2022-2023 before falling 97% after the February 2024 eTA changes.
Receiving cities — principally Toronto, Montreal, and Niagara Falls — saw their shelter networks overwhelmed. Municipalities began housing asylum claimants in hotels at significant cost, often without federal reimbursement under earlier IHAP versions.
The January 2024 announcement responded to municipal pressure for predictable, increased federal support.
How IHAP works
The Interim Housing Assistance Program reimburses provinces and municipalities for incremental, extraordinary housing costs incurred for asylum claimants. Eligible costs include:
- Hotel rooms rented for asylum claimants.
- Shelter capacity expansion.
- Temporary modular housing.
- Wraparound services (security, food, transportation).
Funding flows to:
- Provincial governments (Ontario, Quebec, others).
- Municipal governments (Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Niagara Falls, Montreal, others).
- Sometimes directly to shelter providers via agreements.
The program does NOT directly fund:
- Permanent housing.
- Long-term integration services beyond the asylum-determination period.
- Settlement services for accepted refugees (those flow through the IRCC Settlement Program).
Connection to other federal programs
IHAP operates alongside:
- Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) affordable-housing programs.
- Reaching Home — Canada's homelessness strategy.
- Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) — financial support for government-assisted refugees in their first year (separate from asylum claimants).
- IRCC Settlement Program — services for permanent residents and protected persons.
Asylum claimants are typically not eligible for the IRCC Settlement Program until their claim is accepted (becoming a Protected Person, eligible to apply for PR).
Provincial reactions
Ontario and Quebec — the two provinces receiving the largest share of asylum claimants — pushed for additional federal support. Toronto's then-Mayor Olivia Chow and Quebec Premier François Legault both publicly called for predictable, multi-year federal funding for asylum-claimant housing. The January 2024 announcement and subsequent enhancements through 2024-2025 partly responded to those calls.
Path forward for asylum claimants
The federal announcement is for temporary housing only. Asylum claimants face a longer journey:
1. Claim eligibility determination
After making a claim (at port of entry, inland, or by referral), CBSA or IRCC determines whether the claim is eligible to be referred to the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB).
2. Refugee Protection Division (RPD) hearing
The RPD hears the claim and decides whether the claimant is a Convention Refugee or Person in Need of Protection. The wait for an RPD hearing was historically 18-24 months but has expanded with the surge.
3. Status as Protected Person
If the claim is accepted, the claimant becomes a Protected Person. They can:
- Apply for an Open Work Permit while waiting for PR decision.
- Access settlement services.
- Apply for permanent residence.
4. Permanent Residence
Protected Persons apply for PR through a streamlined process. Once approved, they can sponsor family members under family-class.
In parallel, rejected claimants face removal proceedings unless they pursue judicial review or other legal remedies.
Key facts at a glance
- Announced: January 18, 2024.
- Program: Interim Housing Assistance Program (IHAP).
- Recipients: provinces, municipalities, shelter providers.
- Eligible costs: temporary housing, hotels, shelter expansion, wraparound services.
- Cities most affected: Toronto, Montreal, Niagara Falls.
- Driver: surge in asylum claims linked to global displacement.
- Connected programs: CMHC, Reaching Home, RAP, Settlement Program.
- Asylum claimants vs Protected Persons: housing funding is for the asylum-determination phase; settlement services flow after status is granted.
Source attribution
This article rewrites public information published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/01/new-funding-to-support-housing-for-asylum-claimants.html. The original Government of Canada content is licensed under the Open Government Licence — Canada.
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IHAP funding amounts, eligible recipients, and policy details change. Check current information on canada.ca.
IRCC.com is an independent news and information aggregator. We are not affiliated with the Government of Canada and do not provide immigration services or advice. For personalized help, contact a CICC-licensed RCIC or a Canadian immigration lawyer.