Page 3 – Soli*City | Urban Sanctuary, Migrant Solidarity, and Hospitality in Global Perspective: A Partnership Project

Disability Support in Canadian Sanctuary Cities

by Emily Matesic

30% of Canadian immigrants report that they are not receiving the help they need to manage their disabilities, a concerningly high number. When evaluating the level of accessibility in Sanctuary Cities such as Toronto and Montreal, we can compare the levels of support for Canadian citizens or permanent residents with disabilities and the level of support afforded to migrants with precarious status. This post will shed light on how newcomers with disabilities access resources and on the improvements that are still necessary.

Two people walking on a trail. One is walking with a crane and one is with a wheelchair. View from the back.

Spratt. 2021. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/A2bvXVD5qgo

Accessibility for Newcomers with Disabilities in Canadian Cities

by Emily Matesic

Canada prides itself to be an inclusive and accessible society. However, for newcomers with disabilities, the level of protection expected in Canada may not apply to them. While Canada has taken steps to make immigration more accessible, one major barrier still exists; disability.

Perspectives on Sanctuary Cities: An Interview with Dr. Judith Bernhard

by Vivian Whalen

Dr. Judith Bernhard is a professor at Toronto Metropolitan University and the founder of the University’s MA program in Early Childhood Studies. She also teaches in the Immigration and Settlement Studies MA program and is affiliated with the PhD program in Policy Studies. As part of the North American Hub of Soli*City project, Dr. Bernhard and her colleagues, Dr. Julie Young and Dr. Luin Goldring, are currently completing a literature review on the extent to which a Sanctuary City can help to overcome barriers to access for families with young children. We interviewed Dr. Bernhard to learn more about her perspective on Sanctuary Cities and how it relates to her research.

Hospitality towards Migrants and Refugees: State vs. City

by Harald Bauder

“We’re touched by their hospitality and they’re touched by our endeavours to support them.” This is how a student nurse delivering medical supplies describes the work of volunteers at an NGO in Poland that supports Ukrainian refugees. Residents in the Netherlands, the UK, and other countries who are opening their homes to refugees from Afghanistan, Syria and Ukraine practice a form of “bottom up” hospitality.

UZHHOROD, UKRAINE - FEBRUARY 27, 2022 - A woman and children are pictured at the Uzhhorod-Vysne Nemecke checkpoint on the Ukraine-Slovakia border, Zakarpattia Region, western Ukraine. — Photo by Ukrinform.
Retrieved from https://depositphotos.com/550432906/stock-photo-uzhhorod-ukraine-february-2022-woman.html on April 18, 2022 — UZHHOROD, UKRAINE – FEBRUARY 27, 2022 – A woman and children are pictured at the Uzhhorod-Vysne Nemecke checkpoint on the Ukraine-Slovakia border, Zakarpattia Region, western Ukraine. — Photo by Ukrinform.
Retrieved from https://depositphotos.com/550432906/stock-photo-uzhhorod-ukraine-february-2022-woman.html on April 18, 2022

Interview with Dr. Meghan Joy on Sanctuary Cities

by Vivian Whalen

Canada touts itself as a multicultural and accepting nation – but is it? Canada’s “sanctuary cities”, such as Toronto, illustrate that issues remain in creating the progressive cultural mosaic so often promoted about the country. Take Toronto’s “Access T.O” policy. The law is meant to provide undocumented persons access to an abundance of city services, like paramedic aid, without needing to provide government identification. On paper it may seem helpful, but in practice, it tends to fall short. We interviewed Dr. Meghan Joy to speak on these issues.