After meeting with a church group Friday afternoon, that’s been helping to house refugees and asylum seekers who’d otherwise be on the street, Mayor Olivia Chow says the city needs more than the 97-million dollars promised from Ottawa for new shelter spaces.

With city finances stretched thin, Chow says the promised federal money falls short of the amount needed to keep up with growing shelter demands

The Mayor also outlined a three-step plan, that included the establishment of a reception centre near the airport, a cost-sharing agreement among all levels of governments, and between 160-and-200 million dollars from the Feds to establish long term solutions to the shelter crisis.

Chow has called on newly minted Housing Minister Sean Fraser and the new Immigration Minister Marc Miller to visit Toronto churches that have been housing refugees and asylum seekers in recent weeks.