Page 2 – Soli*City | Urban Sanctuary, Migrant Solidarity, and Hospitality in Global Perspective: A Partnership Project

Dr. Derese Kassa – placing Africa in the spotlight

by Maria Genet Drejer-Jensen

There is a long-established pattern of intraregional migration in Africa. With approximately 21 million documented African migrants having relocated within the continent, internal migration in Africa is higher than African migration outside the continent (approximately 19 million). The number of intraregional migrants is likely to be even higher, as many African countries do not track migration, and the factor of undocumented migrants is also to be taken into account. Dr. Derese Kassa from the Sociology Department at Iona University, studies the refugee spaces and sanctuary city practices available to African migrants within the continent.

The Future of Cities and Migration: A Metropolis International Special Symposium

by Paola Buconjic & Nick Dreher

The Future of Cities and Migration: Inclusion of Precarious Migrants and Refugees special symposium brought together academics and practitioners to discuss the main challenges that precarious migrants face in urban settings as well as the approaches cities are taking to support their needs. The special symposium was part of the 25th Annual Metropolis Conference held in Berlin in September 2022.

Project Partners Gather in Berlin for Research Summit

by Maria Drejer-Jensen & Nick Dreher

On September 5th, Soli*City marked a major milestone when its members from Latin America, North America, Europe, and Africa gathered in Berlin to present the results from the project’s first year of research at their second project summit.

Improving Policies and Services for Newcomers with Disabilities in Canada

by Emily Matesic

“What does an accessible Canada mean to you?” Is the question that Canada’s first-ever disability minister, Carla Qualtrough asked Canadians. For Canadian immigrants, the answer may vary. Language barriers, long wait times, and lack of transportation are just some of the issues many newcomers face when accessing healthcare in Canada. Cities in Canada are taking steps towards improvement by providing essential services such as English and French language classes, free drop-in clinics that do not require insurance and educating the public on how harmful stereotypes and discrimination are to newcomers in Canada. While these improvements are beneficial, further developments can help integrate immigrants with disabilities into sanctuary cities. This post will discuss improvements in the area of accessibility as well as potential policy changes that could improve the lives of newcomers with disabilities in Canada’s largest city.

Evolution and Shortcomings: Supporting Newcomers with Disabilities

by Emily Matesic

For newcomers, finding access to disability support services can be extremely difficult. In Canada, 69% of migrants reported having unmet healthcare needs. “There is a general lack of understanding of our system. Families were unsure where they can go to access resources and to investigate services. It is very difficult for them to get such information” says a Canadian healthcare service provider. Another provider states: “The system is really complicated. Even for me, it is really complicated as a professional”. In general, there is a lack of awareness in educating the general public in Canadian sanctuary cities, and many providers are not properly trained to uphold policies such as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”. Police in Toronto and Vancouver continue to investigate individuals’ immigration status and alert federal authorities if they do not possess documentation. In these cities, vulnerable migrants and refugees still fear accessing important services for mental and physical health as deportation poses a large threat. This blog post explores the lack of support experienced by newcomers in Canada’s largest sanctuary cities and highlight efforts currently being made to better support immigrants with disabilities.