The Prime Minister of Quebec, François Legault, urges his Canadian counterpart, Justin Trudeau, to curb the influx of asylum seekers otherwise Quebec will reach its “breaking point”.
Mr. Legault issued this warning in an official letter that he sent to Mr. Trudeau late Wednesday and which The Canadian Press got a copy.
“We are very close to the breaking point due to the excessive number of asylum seekers arriving in Quebec month after month. The situation has become unbearable,” writes the Quebec Prime Minister.
He maintains that in 2022, Quebec took in more asylum seekers than the rest of Canada combined. In 2023, the closure of Roxham Road “temporarily” slowed this flow.
“However, arrivals continued to increase at the airports,” he says. The number of people arriving on visitor visas and applying for asylum is also increasing significantly. »
During the first 11 months of 2023, nearly 60,000 new asylum seekers were identified in Quebec, which generated “very significant pressure” on services, according to Mr. Legault.
“Asylum seekers are struggling to find a place to live, which is contributing to the housing crisis. Many end up in homeless shelters, which are overflowing.
“Others are experiencing homelessness, which aggravates an already acute problem, particularly in winter. Once again, the organizations that welcome and support asylum seekers are no longer sufficient for the task.
“Our schools are overflowing, while we are already cruelly lacking in teachers and premises to accommodate these thousands of children who, for the majority, do not speak French,” continues François Legault.
He also recalls that while waiting for a work permit, asylum seekers receive last resort financial assistance from Quebec.
Last October, some 43,200 asylum seekers received $33 million. Asylum seekers make up 16% of last resort aid recipients.
Mexican nationals
The Prime Minister of Quebec is particularly targeting Mexican nationals, who represent, according to him, a “growing proportion of asylum seekers arriving in Quebec”.
“The possibility of entering Canada from Mexico without a visa certainly explains part of the influx of asylum seekers,” he says.
“The airports, particularly in Toronto and Montreal, are becoming sieves and it is time to act,” he added, demanding that Ottawa tighten its visa granting policy.
The current “relaxation” risks “opening breaches used by criminalized groups which pose serious security challenges for Quebec and Canada”, also warns Mr. Legault.
Coach transfers
In addition, François Legault insists on the “fair” distribution of asylum seekers across the entire Canadian territory, “for example, by starting again to settle applicants in other provinces by bus”.
And he expects the federal government to reimburse Quebec for the $470 million incurred in welcoming asylum seekers in 2021 and 2022, and to do the same for subsequent years.
“Quebec is no longer able to welcome a disproportionate share of asylum seekers who enter Canada,” he concludes. This is an urgent matter of the utmost importance. »
On Wednesday, Quebec Minister of Immigration, Christine Fréchette, issued a similar warning in the media.
According to her, the arrival of tens of thousands of asylum seekers brings Quebec closer to a “tipping point”.
The day before, before the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, Justin Trudeau had reaffirmed his intention to increase the annual number of immigrants to 500,000.
However, he declared that he wanted to regain control over temporary immigration, more specifically foreign students and temporary workers who, according to him, have a greater impact on the housing crisis.
Mr. Trudeau had also invited higher education institutions and businesses to find housing solutions for these temporary residents themselves.