How much financial assistance does Ontario provide to refugees upon arrival in 2024?

1. What Ottawa’s RAP actually pays on arrival

The federal Resettlement Assistance Program provides immediate services and financial help that come as two distinct pieces: start‑up costs (a one‑time payment to establish a household) and ongoing monthly income support for up to one year (or in exceptional cases up to two years) while refugees establish themselves ^{[1] [4] [5]}. The RAP program explicitly ties monthly payments to the “prevailing provincial social assistance rates” where the refugee settles, so Ontario figures follow Ontario’s social assistance templates rather than a single national flat rate ^{[2] [1]}.

2. How much that looks like in Ontario

Fact checks and government materials show Ontario monthly RAP income support amounts are modest compared with some viral figures: AFP’s fact check cited an Ontario example where a single adult would get $343 for basic needs and $390 for shelter, with shelter assistance rising to $522 in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area — totals well under many online claims ^[3]. The one‑time start‑up payments were increased in September 2024 and now range (federally, across provinces) from about $3,197.89 for an individual up to $9,326.16 for larger families, but that is a one‑off household payment — not a monthly amount — and must be interpreted by family size and local RAP rules ^{[3] [1]}.

3. Differences by sponsorship type and eligibility

Not everyone arriving as a refugee in Ontario receives RAP payments automatically. Government‑assisted refugees (GARs) are the primary RAP recipients; privately sponsored refugees are supported by their sponsors and are generally not eligible for provincial social assistance during the sponsorship period ^{[6] [7]}. Asylum claimants (people who make a claim after arriving) may apply for Ontario Works — Ontario’s social assistance program — if they meet the program’s rules and have the right documentation ^[8].

4. Why confusion and inflated claims persist

Misinformation recirculates because some posts conflate one‑time household payments for a family with monthly per‑person income, or misuse documents that list combined service costs (shelter, orientation, start‑up items) as ongoing personal cash benefits ^{[3] [5]}. AFP and The Canadian Press fact checks show the highest commonly repeated figures (for example, $3,874 monthly or $82,000 annually) are based on misread invoices or household sums and do not reflect standard monthly RAP income in Ontario ^{[3] [5]}.

5. Local services beyond cash — what Ontario provides on arrival

Beyond cash RAP income, Ontario settlement service providers and RAP service provider organizations deliver immediate and essential services: airport reception, temporary accommodation, help finding permanent housing, orientation, health‑program enrolment (e.g., IFHP/OHIP), and links to settlement supports — many of which are non‑monetary but reduce refugees’ immediate expenses ^{[6] [9] [7]}. Those service elements are a key part of the federal program delivered locally in Ontario ^[6].

6. Bottom line and reporting limits

The available sources consistently show Ontario RAP assistance is composed of a one‑time start‑up payment (amount depends on household size), and modest monthly income support tied to provincial social assistance rates (examples: $343 + $390 shelter in Ontario for a single adult, or higher shelter rates in the GTA) for up to a year — far below many viral claims ^{[1] [3]}. Available sources do not mention a single flat monthly cash payment to all refugees in Ontario beyond the RAP framework; specific dollar totals for every household composition and Ontario subregion should be calculated from the RAP rate tables published and archived for the September 1, 2024 update ^{[1] [3]}.