Why refugees are still being turned away from shelters

Plus, the uncertain future of the Greenbelt and Canadian filmmakers to watch [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Here’s the latest on refugees still turned away from available shelter beds, the Greenbelt’s uncertain future, and Canadian filmmakers at TIFF. DON’T MISS Toronto Star housing [Newcomers are still being turned away from the main shelter system]( It’s been weeks since Toronto council passed a motion to ensure that anyone, regardless of status, would be able to access available shelter space. Mayor Olivia Chow announced in July that a policy enacted earlier this year, which directed newcomers elsewhere, had been reversed, Victoria Gibson reports. But city staff have confirmed to the Star that the reality for refugees seeking shelter today is different — admitting that those who follow the typical process of finding emergency shelter in Toronto would simply not be offered referrals into the base system, regardless of availability. [Here’s where the federal and municipal governments stand on their efforts to provide shelter for refugees](. - Case in point: One downtown nurse practitioner said that when she reached central intake to find a shelter bed for a patient who had been in the country for just a few months, she was told that “refugees were only able to go, to be allotted, to refugee beds.” - Word from the mayor: In a statement, Chow said the current policy was running contrary to the motion she’d put forward at city council in July. “I expect the city to adhere to that motion and will work to make sure it does,” she said. Richard Lautens/The Star The Greenbelt [Will the Ford government keep the Greenbelt? The housing minister won’t say]( After replacing Steve Clark, Paul Calandra has been deploying damage control efforts for Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative government, Rob Ferguson reports. At a news conference Thursday, the new housing minister emphasized the Tories’ plans to boost housing supply, but ended up on the defensive — and wouldn’t answer directly when asked if the Tories are committed to a permanent environmentally-protected Greenbelt. [Here’s why critics fear the Ford government’s tone is putting the Greenbelt’s future at stake](. - Context: Greenbelt lands are privately owned in a zone around the GTHA. They were given protection by the former Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty after broad public consultations to ensure ecologically sensitive lands and farmlands could not be developed on a whim. - Go deeper: The government’s push to build housing on Greenbelt lands is at odds with a recommendation from its own housing affordability task force, which has noted that there is enough land available in municipalities to meet the target of building 1.5 million homes. TIFF/Supplied Photo TIFF 2023 [Meet the new voices of Canadian film]( Even Canada’s most promising directors tend to level out before becoming household names, Adam Nayman and Michelle Krasovitski write. There are several reasons — many of which are largely tied to our geographic proximity to the American film industry — making it that much more important to highlight emerging homegrown talent. Whether it’s through lustrous depictions of queer performance art, intergenerational portraiture, ribald comedy, wryly satirical reflexivity or a pressurized city symphony, [these five filmmakers are fearlessly reshaping the future of cinema](. - More: Directors whose films are playing at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival include Sophie Dupuis with “Solo,” Fawzia Mirza with “The Queen of My Dreams,” Molly McGlynn with “Fitting In,” Cody Lightning with “Hey, Viktor!” and M.H. Murray with “I Don’t Know Who You Are.” WHAT ELSE Frustrated Liberals say Pierre Poilievre is crushing them — [and some are blaming Trudeau](. [But maybe it’s Poilievre’s new look and party logo]( winning people over. [Vladimir Putin is dragging the Pacific into the Ukraine War,]( Thomas Walkom writes. The best countries in the world? [Canada has come out near the top in a new ranking](. Henry Ford turned his factory workers into Model-T customers. [Here’s how the Ontario government could do that with electric school buses](. [Iconic journalist Peter C. Newman died Thursday](. Chronicling Canada’s elites, he was as quick with a quip as he was prolific with a pen. An impaired driving case has collapsed over chronic staff shortages at a new Toronto courthouse — [and it’s “just the tip of the iceberg.”]( “Customers are a little desperate.” [While more people hunt for deals, companies are partnering up with reward card programs](. What is “skimpflation”? [Experts say food companies are swapping ingredients with lower-quality substitutes to cut costs](. “That ’70s Show” actor Danny Masterson has been sentenced 30 years to life in prison for the rapes of two women. [Here’s what the victims had to say](. Nickelback — why? [A new documentary explores the confusing phenomenon of the world’s most hated band](. At this year’s TIFF, [here’s where you’ll likely find the trickle of attending celebrities](. POV Steve Russell/The Star [Olivia Chow is leading Toronto city council in a radically different direction.]( CLOSE-UP Yong Teck Lim/AFP via Getty Images MANILA: Canada’s Luguentz Dort (C) shoots the ball during the FIBA Basketball World Cup quarter-final match between Canada and Slovenia at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday. This morning, their bid for gold ended — [here’s a look back at their success and what’s next](. Thanks for reading. Before I go, yesterday’s edition erroneously stated that a [boy accused of murder]( is the first 12-year-old to be charged in a death in Toronto. He’s actually the second, according to Star records. My apologies. You can reach me and the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_198406). Andrew will see you back here tomorrow. If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below. [Unsubscribe From This Newsletter]( [Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts]( [View in Browser]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](