Living without immigration status in Toronto? There are services available for you

Living without immigration status in Toronto? There are services available for you
By Denise Hansen
September 3, 2013

Photographs of people crossing the street at Front and Bay Street.In February 2013, the City of Toronto made history by being the first Canadian city to move towards becoming a “sanctuary city”, announcing it would abide by a formal policy to allow people without full immigration status to access all City of Toronto services. If you and/or your family members have found yourself in a situation where you are one of the estimated 200,000 non-status residents living in the G.T.A.—whether you are waiting for a decision on your immigration case from Citizenship and Immigration, have overstayed your visitor visa or evaded a deportation order— you must know that all City of Toronto services are available to you no matter your immigration status. Often many of these services are available free of charge.

WHAT’S ACCESSIBLE

The table below provides a small sampling of services available to you should you find yourself residing in Toronto without full immigration status. While February’s announcement promised City of Toronto services will be accessible to all residents, no matter their immigration status, the agencies and organizations listed below have confirmed they work with non-status immigrants and keep a person’s status information fully confidential, except in situations where Canadian law requires otherwise.



Police, Fire, Ambulance Services: Call 9-1-1 While 911 operators typically send police, fire and ambulance services to respond to any 911 emergency, you can choose to request “ambulance only” for medical emergencies, should you be fearful of police presence.
Telehealth Ontario: 1-866-797-0000 Telehealth Ontario is a free, confidential telephone service you can call to get health advice or general health information from a Registered Nurse. You do not need a health insurance number to call nor do you need to provide any personal contact information. The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and offers translation support in multiple languages.
Toronto Community Health Centres (CHCs): for a list of Toronto CHCs, see pages 25-27 of the Social Planning Toronto Community ServicesResource Guide * Toronto Community Health Centres (CHCs) are community health centres where doctors, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social workers, and health promoters provide health services. You do not require health insurance (or OHIP) but you must make an appointment in order to receive services. All CHCs charge low fees and require that you live within their catchment area (the area in which the services are provided) and fill out an application form. The information on the application form will be kept strictly confidential. Some CHCs may have waiting lists in order to access their services. If you have a medical emergency, please remember you can always get help at any hospital emergency room regardless of your immigration status. However, you will be charged a fee for services.
Workers’ Action Centre:720 Spadina Avenue, Suite 223
416-531-0778
The Ontario Employment Standards Act provides protection for many classifications of workers regardless of immigration status. Whether or not you have fullimmigration status, you are entitled to receive the money
you have earned. If you have experienced discrimination or harassment or have not received the money you are owed, contact the Workers’ Action Centre. You may also file an anonymous complaint under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, if you feel your working conditions are unsafe or you have been injured on the job by calling the Industrial Accident Victims’ Group of Ontario, 1-877-230-6311. If you work as a live-in caregiver or have come to Canada under the Live-in Caregiver program and you need help, contact: Caregiver Action Centre 416-361-6319.
Ontario Early Years Centres: 1-866-821-7770 Ontario Early Years Centres offer a place for parents and children (up to 6 years of age) to take part in activities and programs together. All services are free of charge and there are numerous centres across the City of Toronto. To locate the centre nearest you, call the Ontario Early Years Centres.
Toronto District School Board416-397-3000
www.tdsb.on.ca

admissions@tdsb.on.ca
Every child under the age of 18 has the right to go to school in Ontario regardless of their (or their parents’) immigration status. The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has passed a “Students Without Legal Immigration Status” policy which states that all children, regardless of status, are welcome in TDSB schools and information about them or their families will not be shared with immigration authorities. You can register a child by going to the International Programs and Admissions Office at 5050 Yonge Street, Toronto.


Other services available to residents of Toronto without full immigration status include: emergency shelters, counselling and abuse help, library services, legal aid services which can help with your immigration status, food banks, childcare and recreation programs, and more. For a complete list of community services available to immigrants without papers in Toronto (this is a list of agencies and organizations who have confirmed they work with non-status immigrants and keep a person’s status information fully confidential), download the Social Planning Toronto Community Services Resource Guide. The guide is available in English, Chinese, Spanish, Tamil and Urdu. For a full list of City of Toronto services, visit http://www.toronto.ca/services/.



HOW TO ACCESS SERVICES

To ensure you and your family’s safety, always call the service site in advance to inquire about eligibility criteria. If the organization/service you are contacting requires immigration information, ask if they will share this information with federal authorities. Do not share any personal information when you make this first call. It’s also important to call in advance to know what I.D. might be asked for. Many social service organizations may ask for a birth certificate, a social insurance card, refugee papers, a passport, a permanent residency card, driver’s licence, etc., but many organizations are quite flexible in terms of what documents are required, so always call in advance to confirm.



HAVING TROUBLE ACCESSING SERVICES?

If you or someone you know are having trouble accessing any City of Toronto services, call the Solidarity City Network hotline at: 1-888-670-4486. Sharing your experience will help Solidarity City Network ensure that Toronto’s services are in fact, accessible for all.

“Immigrants without full status are part of Toronto, they are our neighbours, they work here, and they are friends,” says Mai Phan from the Solidarity City Network, one of the community organizations who campaigned for Toronto to become a “sanctuary city”.  The City of Toronto and other agencies are agreeing that community members shouldn’t be denied basic services because of federal bureaucratic rules. This is another step in a long journey for dignity and rights for immigrants,” says Phan.  “Full access to services means that we can all enjoy healthier, safer neighbourhoods. Migrants can get the help and services they need during a vulnerable time.”