The Durham Region, which includes cities like Oshawa, Ajax, Pickering, Whitby, and Clarington, has recently revealed plans to turn an existing hotel into temporary accommodations for asylum seekers.
They announced that they have purchased a former Comfort Inn (533 Kingston Road) in Pickering and will be changing the property into the Durham Reception Centre-a place that will provide short-term housing and support for asylum claimants arriving through the Durham Humanitarian Response Program (DHRP).
This hotel purchase, located on a 2.84-acre site, was made possible by funding from the federal Interim Housing Assistance Program.
The DHRP is managed by the Community Development Council Durham and has been the main way for coordinating temporary housing and settlement services since 2023.
According to the DHRP, there has been a rise in asylum claimants over recent years. Asylum seekers usually come to Canada with limited resources, no permanent housing, and few local connections or ways to get help.
Unlike refugees who arrive with government support, asylum claimants file their refugee claims once they reach Canada. These claims are evaluated by an independent tribunal to confirm their validity and decide whether the individual can stay in Canada for humanitarian or protection reasons.
The DHRP mentioned that asylum claimants aren’t eligible for most federal resettlement programs and do not receive direct federal income assistance. They often depend on municipalities and local organizations for support. The DHRP helps these individuals find jobs, learn English, access healthcare services, and secure long-term housing.
Currently, the DHRP is providing temporary accommodation at two hotels in the region including the former Comfort Inn in Pickering. Once it’s fully up and running, this location will accommodate up to 250 asylum claimants for a maximum of 90 days-reducing reliance on more costly hotel rooms.
A report from 2025 estimated that maintaining a full-time interim housing facility for asylum seekers could cost around $7 million annually. It also noted that in August 2025, the region received $48 million in upfront IHAP funding to cover capital and operating expenses for the DHRP from January 1, 2025 through March 31, 2027.
As of last October, the program was assisting 242 claimants (or 133 households) at three different hotels throughout Durham. The report indicated that by late last year; the Community Development Council of Durham had successfully helped 1,873 asylum claimants via the DHRP-relocating 1,628 individuals into permanent homes.
Of those who moved into independent living situations; 1,189 (63 percent) found housing within the region according to this report.
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