How Black-led organizations quickly moved more than 200 asylum seekers off a Toronto street to shelter

As a group of more than 200 asylum seekers slept on the street in downtown Toronto amid a funding stalemate between the city and the federal government, Ainsworth Morgan told himself the situation couldn't continue and got on the phone. 

Morgan, co-founder of the 100 Strong Foundation, a non-profit that aims to empower Black boys to become leaders, was moved by the sight he saw outside the city shelter intake office on Peter Street, and jumped into action.

"As Canadians, the vast majority of us, we all have an immigrant story," he told CBC Toronto. "Seeing myself in them, I wanted to do something, rather than waiting around and hoping for others."

"The Black community, we are philanthropists at heart. This is what we do," he added. 

Recognizing there's "a lot of red tape" in getting the refugee claimants off the streets, he connected with his organization's board at 100 Strong and said, "We need to do something." 

Morgan and other leaders and volunteers from Black-led organizations decided to act — at a time when advocates say governments were pointing fingers, each saying another was responsible for handling the crisis, all while refugee claimants were sleeping on sidewalks. 

One of his first calls was to Pastor Judith James at the Revivaltime Tabernacle church in North York.  

That was Sunday. By Monday, the asylum seekers were moved indoors.

"She immediately offered up her space, 100 Strong booked the buses and started transporting these refugee claimants. Initially we had 50, then it went to 100, and now we're over 200," he said.

"It's been quite challenging and overwhelming. There's been many hands to make this work, a number of organizations," he explained. 

Within a matter of days, Morgan and others did what advocates have been calling on the government to do for weeks. That's thanks to the work of countless volunteers and individuals who stepped up — and it's a testament to the power of Black-led organizations, he said.

According to the city, the number of asylum seekers in Toronto's shelter system grew 500 per cent in the span of 20 months. In September 2021, there was a low of 530 in the shelter system per night. By May, there were 2,800.

Several organizations, including the Rwandan Canadian Centre for Healing, the African Centre for Refugees in Ontario and the Black Community Housing Advisory Table, a city-created group that is comprised of housing and affordability leaders and academics, have been working to house and support the asylum seekers.

Cheryll Case, the co-chair of the advisory table, told CBC Toronto the group's main goal was to ensure the asylum seekers were safe and housed immediately with access to food and health care.