Open Letters

Toronto / 10 March 2026

OCASI joined immigrant and refugee-serving sector umbrella organizations representing more than 500 community organizations from across Canada to in sending an open letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship – Lena Metlege Diab regarding funding cuts to federally funded settlement programs.

The organizations expressed concern that these measures will negatively impact immigrants and refugees, and are in fact contradictory to the government’s stated goal of strengthening Canada’s economy.

Toronto / November 2025

OCASI wrote to Minister Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, urging her to speed up processing for Sudan.

November 27, 2025

Dear Minister Diab,

Re: Speed up processing for Sudan

We are writing to urge you to speed up processing of Sudanese applicants, seeking to flee the violent conflict in Sudan to join family in Canada.

June 27, 2023

Refugee claimants in Ontario are in urgent need of shelter, housing and services. The need is especially acute in Toronto. Toronto Deputy Mayor McKelvie had said that as of June 1, 2023 refugee claimants will be turned away from Toronto's shelters to federal programs.

OCASI letter re: Canada's humanitarian response to crisis in Sudan

May 3, 2023 / Toronto

OCASI wrote to Hon. Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration Refugees and Citizenship and Hon. Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs in support of the safe repatriation of Sudanese Canadians who are currently fleeing from the war in Sudan.

September 16, 2022 / Toronto - OCASI wrote to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser to call for an immigration status regularization program that will leave no one behind. Read our letter below:

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The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2
Justin.Trudeau@parl.gc.ca pm@pm.gc.ca

OCASI welcomes Canada’s unprecedented and positive new special measures for Ukrainian refugees annouced by Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship on March 3, 2022, and calls for them to be made a permanent and consistent response to humanitarian crises in other countries that haven’t received as much attention globally.

English version

Utilisez les talents formés à l’étranger pour des collectivités en santé

13 septembre 2021

La version française

Utilizing internationally trained talent for healthy communities

13 September 2021

We the under-signed civil society organizations and groups call on federal party leaders to address long-standing licensure and employment barriers facing internationally educated health professionals as your commitment to Canadians in the 2021 federal election.

 As you are aware Canada’s healthcare system is facing a multifaceted crisis.

May 5, 2021 / Toronto - COVID infection rates are on the rise, particularly the more infectious variants. Study after study has shown that women and the working poor – particularly racialized and im/migrant workers are disproportionately impacted. OCASI calls on the government of Ontario to give workers at least two week of permanent, paid sick days.

OCASI has asked Ontario to provide a written directive that confirms COVID-19 vaccines will be proivded to everyone in Ontario regardless of immigration status.

Read below for OCASI's letter to the Minister of Health and the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services (responsible for immigration and citizenship).

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Hon. Christine Elliott
Minister of Health
College Park 5th Flr, 777 Bay Street
Toronto, ON M7A 2J3
christine.elliott@ontario.ca