The Government of Canada provided funding, to the Region of Durham, to purchase a former hotel in Pickering. It will become the Durham Reception Centre.

Located at 533 Kingston Road, in Pickering, the centre will provide temporary accommodation and supports for asylum claimants through the Durham Humanitarian Response Program (DHRP). Ukrainian nationals began staying here in 2022. By 2023, all asylum claimants were welcome at this site. And as of March 31, 2026, the program had assisted 1,957 people, with 1,244 putting down roots in this region.

The location was purchased with funding from the federal Interim Housing Assistance Program (IHAP), which will also help to support some future operating costs. Securing a dedicated interim housing facility was a core requirement of the IHAP funding. It also aligns with several priorities outlined in the Durham Region 2025–2035 Strategic Plan.

Although owned by the Region, the Community Development Council Durham (CDCD) will operate the site. The team will provide temporary accommodations and settlement services for up to 250 asylum claimants who will stay for no more than 90 days.

An asylum claimant is someone who arrives here then asks for help to stay safe. There is no federal income support while their claim is being decided. Municipalities and community organizations step in to help. Asylum claimants are different from government‑assisted refugees.

The Durham Reception Centre strengthens this work by providing a dedicated, federally funded facility where individuals and families can safely and efficiently transition into long‑term, independent housing and begin building their lives in Durham Region.