Ottawa’s homeless shelters are struggling to keep up with demand as the rise of newcomers puts pressure on the already overburdened system.

The Ottawa Mission is seeing many newcomers looking for shelter and they now account for nearly 40 per cent of its clients, according to its CEO

“We’re easily at about 115 to 120 per cent [capacity] per night, and those people have to be fed three meals a day,” said Peter Tilley.

“Don’t forget, we’re also turning away another 60 to 70 people per night who when they arrive, half of whom are newcomers,”

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  • sbv@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    5·
    4 months ago

    What is a “newcomer”?

    “It’s really upsetting to see people coming to Canada with hopes of prosperity and peace and healing and for them to end up here. It’s really disheartening to see that,” said Adrienne Arsenault, senior manager of program development and engagement at Shepherds of Good Hope.

    Elsewhere the article mentions refugee claiments, but the term newcomer suggests there are other categories in there too.

    Without absolute numbers the following statement is hard to pin down:

    She said nearly 20 per cent of those who sought shelter there by last summer and fall were newcomers. The year before that, they only accounted for about 5.5 per cent, she said.

    But that seems like a pretty significant jump.

    Weren’t Toronto and Montreal seeing shelters filling up with refugee claiments too?