For millions of refugees around the world, displaced by war, famine or other turmoil, Canada is a prized destination. Every day, refugees arrive here, especially at Toronto and Montreal’s airports, looking to settle. And that number is increasing steadily. Yet Canada is ill-equipped to cope with the surge. Refugee centres are packed, shelters are overcrowded and even the most dedicated settlement agencies have a hard time finding affordable housing for newcomers.
In a frank and eye-opening feature for Maclean’s, Jordan Michael Smith investigates the state of our refugee crisis. He discovers a patchwork system that used to operate effectively and is now fraying. He writes about the not-for-profit settlement service that’s being evicted because of rent increases and the airport hotels that city governments rent to house new arrivals who can’t find beds in a shelter. “It’s in the country’s large cities, especially Toronto,” he writes, “where the cost-of-living crisis and the refugee crisis have come together most dramatically.”
Smith’s story is part of the July issue, which has a special focus on immigration—essential Canada Day reading. To get all the regular issues of Maclean’s, subscribe here.
–Sarah Fulford, editor-in-chief
