A histor of the memories of the sanctuar cit in Toronto, Canada

This working paper traces the emergence of the "sanctuary city" in Toronto, Canada, by distinguishing between the grassroots "sanctuary movement" and the formal "sanctuary city" as a governmental apparatus. Utilizing oral history interviews, archival research, and policy analysis, author Rachel Humphris examines the evolution of sanctuary from faith-based initiatives in the 1990s led by the Southern Ontario Sanctuary Coalition (SOSC) to radical anti-deportation organizing by groups like No One Is Illegal (NOII) in the early 2000s. The paper details the strategic shift in activist demands from "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" to "Access Without Fear," a transition that eventually informed the 2013 "Access TO" ordinance and the city's 2017 formal "Sanctuary City" reaffirmation. By framing the sanctuary city as a "floating signifier" filled with varying meanings, the study highlights the inherent tensions between symbolic political declarations and the practical barriers undocumented residents still face, particularly regarding police cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Ultimately, the research argues that the potential and limitations of sanctuary lie in the persistent friction between its religious roots and its contested status as a municipal project.