Support for asylum claimants
Many asylum claimants arrive with little resources, no community connections and nowhere to sleep.
If you’ve recently arrived in Canada and need to submit an immigration application or need refugee protection, visit the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada website.
Peel Region has recently established an Asylum Claimant Response. This team will be implementing person-centered, culturally-sensitive support, and liaising with community partners and neighbouring municipalities.
211 helpline
211 is a free helpline that will not share your personal information with others. It is available every day, all day and night, online and by phone in more than 150 languages.
Call or text 211 or visit 211Central.ca to chat live about these and other community services:
- newcomer and settlement services
- employment and training programs
- 2SLGBTQ+ resources
- mental health support
- legal aid services
- child care programs
- transportation
If you need a temporary place to stay, Peel Region has dedicated emergency shelters, specifically focused on the unique needs of asylum claimants. If you are an asylum claimant or know an asylum claimant who needs a place to stay, call 905-450-1996.
Our staff will do our best to find you a spot, however due to high demand, we cannot guarantee placement in Peel. Learn about our shelters.
Do not arrive at any emergency shelter or hotel unannounced. The fastest way for us to find you a suitable place to stay is to call 905-450-1996.
Emergency shelters outside Peel
There may be spots available in emergency shelters outside of Peel Region.
- Halton 1-866-442-5488
- Durham 905-668-4113
- Waterloo 519-624-9133
- York 1-877-464-9675 ext. 76140
If you need help finding affordable housing in Peel, complete our online screening tool and access other help with housing resources.
We are working to help all asylum claimants in Peel settle into the community for either a short while or for a long time.
We are focusing on:
- Getting other governments involved in helping asylum claimants.
- Getting the right information to the right people at the right time.
- Working more closely with other settlement and service providers.
- Seeing where certain aspects are missing from settlement support systems and suggesting opportunities to address them.
Peel Region has also united with service providers in the community to provide:
- Settlement services at temporary Peel Region shelters.
- Information and referrals to other supports such as counselling, pre-employment support, translation, and support to 2SLGBTQ+.
How Peel residents can support asylum claimants
Shelters regularly accept hygiene products (toothpaste, shampoo, bars of soap, body wash etc), feminine hygiene products, socks and undergarments. If you would like to donate any of these items email us.
Because of health and safety concerns, prepared food donations are only accepted under strict standards.
Meals and snacks are provided by shelter staff.
If you can provide a place to stay for asylum claimants in need, email housing help.
Access these services in Peel for help and information about money, health, and adjusting to life in Peel.
The Orientation to Ontario Workbook gives newcomers information about health care, education, child care, employment opportunities and housing in the Province of Ontario.
Ontario Works
If you need help paying for food and shelter, financial help is available from the Ontario government called Ontario Works. This is also sometimes known as social assistance.
If you want to apply for Ontario Works, you must have official papers that prove you’ve made a claim for refugee protection.
Health care
The Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) will temporarily pay for some health care services for refugee claimants in Canada if the claimants do not have provincial, territorial, or private health-care coverage.
Refugee HealthLine
Call the Refugee HealthLine for free at 1-866-286-4770. The Refugee HealthLine is available in many languages. It will connect refugee claimants with health care providers who deliver temporary health care and services. Refugees, resettlement assistance programs, sponsors, and settlement agencies can also call the Refugee HealthLine to help match refugees with:
- Primary care providers (refugee health clinics, community health centres, family health teams, nurse practitioner-led clinics, midwifery practices, physician practices, and walk-in clinics).
- Specialists (obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, and psychiatry).
- Mental health service providers.
- Optometrists.
The Refugee HealthLine will refer agencies and individuals to the closest providers who can help give eligible patients temporary care.
Adjusting to life in Peel
Settlement.org is a website that gives newcomers and refugees information and resources about living in Ontario.
Visit this website to:
- Get important information.
- Read relevant news.
- Ask questions.
- Share your experiences with others.
- Get a list of community organizations.
ImmigrationPeel.ca
ImmigrationPeel.ca provides newcomers to Canada with information about local services, programs, and events that will help them adjust and embrace the Peel Community faster and easier.
African and Caribbean Council on HIV/AIDS in Ontario (ACCHO)
The African and Caribbean Council on HIV/AIDS in Ontario (ACCHO) is a provincial organization that provides strategic leadership in response to HIV/AIDS in African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) communities in Ontario.
Africans in Partnership Against AIDS (APAA)
Africans in Partnership Against AIDS (APAA), is a community-based, Canadian non-profit charitable AIDS service organization serving African communities in the greater Toronto area.
Africans in Partnership Against Aids
Bloom Clinic
Bloom, a member of the WellFort family, is committed to providing treatment, care, and support to individuals living with, affected by, or at risk of Hepatitis C and/or HIV across the Region of Peel. Offer free and confidential HIV and Hepatitis C testing and treatment. Bloom also offers free sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment.
Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE)
Canada’s source for HIV and Hepatitis C Information. Access the resource “It’s all still possible”: Starting points for living well with HIV.
Chantel’s Place, Trillium Health Partners (Mississauga Hospital site)
Regional Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence and Sex Trafficking Care and Treatment Centre, Services available 24/7
HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO)
HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO). HALCO is a charitable not-for-profit community-based legal clinic that provides free legal services for people living with HIV/AIDS in Ontario.
nCourage
nCourage provides trauma-informed, survivor-centred support for victims, survivors and individuals at-risk of sex trafficking, ages 12 years or older. Available services include (but are not limited to) trauma counselling, client navigation/case management, outreach, health care, legal support, continuing education, addictions support and family reunification.
nCourage – a safe place to share
EFRY Help and Hope for Women
EFRY offers trauma and violence-informed dedicated safe and transitional housing for females between the ages of 16 to 24 years who have experienced sex trafficking. Individuals can access safe housing for up to six months and transitional housing for up to two years.
Moyo Health and Community Services
Moyo Health and Community Services provides health promotion, education, social and support services for people living with, affected by, and at systemic risk of HIV. Moyo is the leading HIV/AIDS service provider for Peel’s communities of Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon. Moyo is a pickup location partner for the Community Link Project. If you’re ready to know your HIV status, you can visit us to pick up an HIV self-testing kit after you’ve joined the program and placed your order. Pick up times will be Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Contact 289-325-4154 to book a time to pick up your HIV Self-Test Kit.
Moyo Health and Community Services
Peel Public Health
Healthy Sexuality clinics offer free testing for sexually transmitted infections (STI), including anonymous HIV testing, STI treatment and safer sex or drug using supplies. Call 905-799-7700 to book a clinic appointment. Monday to Thursday, 8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m
Women and HIV/AIDS Initiative (WHAI)
Women and HIV/AIDS Initiative (WHAI) builds community capacity to support women living with or facing systemic risk of contracting HIV. A WHAI worker can be accessed through Bloom Clinic.
What is Sex Trafficking
Rhonelle Bruder is a sex trafficking survivor and anti-trafficking advocate and explains the complex crime in this short video: What is Sex Trafficking?
Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline
1-833-900-1010
Contact for general inquiries
Peel Region Anti-Human Sex Trafficking