Toronto City Council: Newcomers

Newcomers Dept: In fact, these are old policies that have been in place in the city since 2007. Under the banner of Access Not Fear, newcomer rights organizations and community members are currently pushing for improvements to the existing policy through: active implementation, educating newcomers and city staff about their rights to these services, calling for the Ontario government to open provincially funded programs to all residents, and advocating for a national immigration regularization program, according to The Star. It is now Toronto s turn. In a city where more than half of us are newcomers, advocates are already bracing for the inevitable fear-mongering and demonizing of undocumented newcomers as being financial burdens and straining our already stretched municipal resources and on Feb. 20, 2013, Toronto City Council will be voting on a motion that will ensure improved access to city services for residents lacking full and secure immigration status. These kinds of policies make sure that newcomers are not turned away from food banks, local recreation centres and health services. They ensure a child can get a library card and attend the local school. Other cosmopolitan cities, such as San Francisco and Chicago, introduced similar policies more than two decades ago. These sanctuary cities have passed bylaws that safeguard protections for undocumented workers and open up access to city services. These cities have recognized that it is in the best interest of all residents when people have equal access to doctors, schools, libraries and employment protections under the law. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.