LTE: Urgent Call for Housing Solutions as Dev Hotel Contract Ends

As we know that the contract between Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Dev Hotel and Conference Centre is ending on July 31.

All claimants at the Dev Hotel were informed about the contract ending at the beginning of July.

There are currently 537 people living at the Dev Hotel and Conference Centre, accounting for 91 per cent of its capacity. Sources say only 33 of these individuals have had their refugee/asylum claims approved.

With a small amount of both publicly subsidized housing stock and privately owned affordably priced housing available in Cornwall and SDG, local service organizations have called on community members to assist with finding local accommodations for claimants who want to stay in the area.

“At this stage, it is not known how many of the 537 residents will require a transfer, as significant efforts are being made to connect them to housing in the area.

Some of the residents I have spoken to in this regard seem most concerned that we will be leaving after July 31st, as it has become very difficult to live in Cornwall. There is no space in motels etc. and the rents are also very high which has been reached by us. So my point is that the City of Cornwall is implementing a strategy to deal with this coming problem in next 2 weeks,Because it is a very question that all these people cannot be left on the streets.

Mohammad TALAT Naeem
Cornwall, Ontario