The number of asylum claimants arriving in Ottawa has increased demand for temporary housing in the city.
To help solve the issue the federal government has recently announced new funding for the city of Ottawa. The city will receive an additional $10.1 million in funding to help ease the pressures on its shelters, in addition to the $7 million in funding they received in April. Temporary housing is essential for many vulnerable groups, such as seniors, women and children, and asylum claimants, and the federal government works with provinces and municipalities to help the availability of shelters meet the demand.
In a statement to the press, Ottawa mayor Jim Watson said, "The City remains committed to supporting asylum claimants arriving in Ottawa. The ongoing volume of individuals seeking shelter in Ottawa continues to grow and today's announcement of federal funding helps mitigate these costs and will help us focus our efforts on expanding services locally.”