With Ottawa’s financial space stretched to the limit, the Legault government may never receive the $460 million it has demanded since 2021 for all services for asylum seekers from Ukraine and elsewhere.
• Also read: Quebec wants Ottawa to reimburse $460 million for hosting asylum seekers and Ukrainians
“What I said very clearly to Minister Fréchette before is: let’s put our cards on the table with our respective finance ministers. I don’t have $400 million lying around here and there, you know that very well,” said Federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller on Wednesday afternoon.
On September 15, her Quebec counterpart, Christine Fréchette, and Quebec Finance Minister Éric Girard sent her a letter demanding this enormous sum, citing the costs associated with “temporary accommodation, social services, financial “Help as a last resort and help in the search” includes accommodation, francization services and job assistance.
“Quebec therefore expects the federal government to reimburse it for all costs incurred for the services provided,” the CAQ ministers wrote.
Last week Marc Miller and Christine Fréchette met, but it appears the matter has not progressed since September.
“It is clear that Quebec has done its fair share in welcoming asylum seekers,” Mr. Miller admitted.
The latter, deploring an “unfortunately public” discussion, pointed out that the federal government had already paid money – and “in some cases too much money” – under the Canada-Quebec immigration agreement that was never paid back to the coffers .
“But let’s put all our cards on the table and then tell each other the real deals, because Quebec is rightly, rightly compensating them according to the relevant clauses of the agreement,” Mr. Miller continued.
Note that social services are a provincial responsibility, but issues related to asylum seekers are a federal responsibility.
THE INVOICE SENT FROM QUEBEC TO THE FUND
- $135.9 million for asylum seekers in 2021
- $334.4 million for asylum seekers in 2022
- $58.3 million for Ukrainian refugees in 2022
- According to Quebec, Ottawa has only reimbursed less than 15% of the asylum seekers’ bill, or $66.9 million
- Quebec estimates that Ottawa owes it $461.7 million