I am new to Canada and have no housing. Where should I go?
If you move to Canada and you have no housing options, or if you have lost your housing while here, you might need to seek housing in an emergency shelter.
An emergency shelter is a place that give people without housing somewhere to stay.
An emergency shelter usually has many people staying together.
It is short-term but it might offer services to help you find a long-term housing option.
How do I find a shelter?
If you live in Toronto:
You can go to the City of Toronto website or call Central Intake.
Depending on your age and if you came with other people, Central Intake will look for a bed for you in:
If you live outside of Toronto:
If you are looking for shelters or group homes specifically for refugee claimants
What help will I get while living in a shelter?
When you get to the shelter, there will be 24/7 shelter staff members to help you.
Every shelter will have different services. You will be told about the services at your shelter after you arrive. These services might include:
Can I go to a youth only shelter?
If you call to find emergency shelter and you are between the ages of 16-24, you will probably be placed in a youth shelter.
If there are no beds available in any of the youth shelters, you might be placed in an adult shelter.
What is it like to stay at a shelter?
All shelters are set up in their own way.
You should expect to share your bedroom, bathroom and common areas with other residents. Common areas might include:
A shelter will probably give you:
You might be able to:
You can choose to attend these activities. You can also choose to spend the day outside of the shelter.