Support for Asylum Claimants

An asylum claimant is a person who seeks refugee protection after arriving in Canada, either at a port of entry or from within the country. Many arrive with limited financial resources, no stable housing, and few local supports. 

Unlike Government‑Assisted Refugees, who are granted status prior to arrival and enter Canada through a federally supported resettlement pathway, asylum claimants submit their refugee claims once in Canada. These claims must be assessed by an independent tribunal to determine whether the individual may remain in the country on humanitarian or protection grounds. 

Asylum claimants are not eligible for most federal resettlement programs and do not receive direct federal income supports. As a result, many rely on municipalities and local service providers for immediate assistance and essential supports. 

The DHRP is led and administered by the Community Development Council Durham (CDCD). CDCD helps people with many supports, all in one place. These include settlement services, help finding a job, language classes, access to health care, and help finding a home. The goal is to help people move toward living on their own. 

Introducing the Durham Reception Centre 

Right now, the DHRP provides temporary housing for asylum claimants at two hotels in Durham Region. One of these hotels is located in Pickering.  

Through its federal Interim Housing Assistance Program, the Government of Canada has given the Region funding to buy this hotel and turn it into the Durham Reception Centre. 

The Reception Centre will be run by CDCD and will help meet the immediate settlement and basic needs of asylum claimants. The building will no longer be used as a hotel for the public. 

The Durham Reception Centre will: