Asylum seekers left sleeping on Toronto streets amid funding stalemate between city, feds

For two weeks since fleeing violence in Uganda and arriving in Canada in search of asylum, Prosscovia Namusisi has been sleeping on Toronto's streets.

Namusisi is one of a group of asylum seekers from Africa sleeping outside the city's shelter intake office at Peter and Richmond streets downtown. The reason, she says: the city tells them everyday there is no space in any of its shelters.

Namusisi says she has only intermittently been able to go inside the facility to use its toilet and showers, while most of the food and supplies they've received have come from local aid organizations.

"I ask myself that if there were no people who come and give us some stuff to use, how will we survive?" she said.

Asuman Najib Ssali, who says he left Uganda because he and his family faced persecution for opposition to the government, told CBC Toronto living outside in the heat and rain has been incredibly difficult.

"I've spent six days here sleeping on the street, hoping I'll get help from the government, from the good citizens of Canada," said Najib Ssali.

But it's unclear when and from whom that help will come.

Toronto's at-capacity shelter system has been turning away refugees and asylum seekers since the beginning of June and referring them to federal programs, saying it needs more financial support from the federal government. However, many asylum seekers can't get federal help if their claims haven't been fully granted, leaving dozens of them stuck in limbo with nowhere to sleep.

For some asylum seekers, the prolonged period outside has had negative health effects. 

Diana Chan McNally, a harm reduction case manager with local church and shelter All Saints, says many haven't had access to proper hygiene for days, including one man who now has trench foot.

"This is not 1919. We're not in the middle of a war," said McNally. "These are just rudimentary illnesses that shouldn't exist if we had proper shelter for people."

She says local organizations are bearing the responsibility of fundraising and providing food and supplies. 

"The fact that it's falling to us is unacceptable."

Deputy mayor Jennifer McKelvie says the shelter system cannot handle the number of people coming to the city.