What is the Toronto Community Services Resource Guide for Non-Status Immigrants?
The Community Social Planning Council of Toronto and Davenport Perth Neighbourhood Centre, in partnership with the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Campaign, have developed a Community Resource Guide for non-status immigrants. The guide comes in the form of a printed booklet available in five languages (English, Portuguese, Chinese, Spanish and Arabic), as well as a comprehensive website of community service listings.
You can visit the website and download the booklets here.
Who is this guide for?
This guide is for non-status immigrants in Toronto. Non-status immigrants refers to people who have made their home in Canada but lack legal immigration status including failed refugee claimants, immigrants who have experienced sponsorship breakdown, and individuals whose temporary worker, student or visitor visas have expired.
Why is this important?
Non-status immigrants face many obstacles in accessing essential services. They cannot obtain a health care, a social insurance number, or gain access to many vital programs. Furthermore, they may feel uneasy asking for help for fear of having their status reported to authorities. The Resource Guide lists safe places people with non-status/less than full status can go/contact to get services such as: school services; health care services; housing services and legal advice in the Toronto.
How was this put together?
In compiling this guide, we selected a number of community agencies and city services and asked for their cooperation in completing an online questionnaire, detailing their work done with non-status immigrants. We therefore would like to especially thank all the executive directors and staff members of the agencies listed that have taken the time in helping us put this resource booklet together, and for all their valuable input, ideas, and suggestions. This is, of course, not an exhaustive list of all services that are available throughout the city. If you would like your agency or organization to be included into a future updated version, or on our online edition, please feel free to contact Navjeet Sidhu at the Community Social Planning Council at (416) 351-0095 ext. 219 or via email at [email protected]