Toronto's mayor, Olivia Chow, is urging the city to open 250 additional shelter spaces for refugees while attending her first council meeting as mayor.
In a statement prior to the city council meeting, Chow said that she will present an urgent motion to address the refugee crisis as her top priority.
The motion also calls on the council to continue working with the provincial and federal governments on both the immediate crisis and a long-term plan.
Simultaneously, Chow issued a separate statement, stating that she and Prime Minister Doug Ford are collaborating to address the issue through a one-time reload for the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit.