(Quebec) Quebec Prime Minister François Legault is calling on his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau to stem the flow of asylum seekers, otherwise Quebec will reach its “breaking point.”
Posted at 6:16 am
Caroline Plante The Canadian Press
Mr. Legault issued the warning in an official letter he sent to Mr. Trudeau late Wednesday afternoon, a copy of which was obtained by The Canadian Press.
“We are on the verge of breaking point, with excessive asylum seekers arriving in Quebec month after month. The situation has become unbearable,” writes the Prime Minister of Quebec.
He claims that Quebec received more asylum seekers in 2022 than the rest of Canada combined. In 2023 this flow was 'temporarily' slowed by the closure of Roxham Road.
“However, arrivals at the airports continued to increase,” he says. The number of people entering the country on a visitor visa and applying for asylum is also increasing significantly. »
In the first 11 months of 2023, nearly 60,000 new asylum seekers were identified in Quebec, resulting in “very significant pressure” on services, according to Legault.
“Asylum seekers struggle to find housing, contributing to the housing crisis. Many end up in homeless shelters that are overcrowded.
“Others are experiencing homelessness, which exacerbates an already acute problem, particularly in winter. Once again, the organizations that receive and support asylum seekers are no longer up to the task.
“Our schools are overcrowded, while we already lack teachers and space to accommodate these thousands of children, most of whom do not speak French,” continues François Legault.
He also recalls that asylum seekers receive financial support from Quebec as a last resort while waiting for a work permit.
Last October, around 43,200 asylum seekers received 33 million. Asylum seekers make up 16% of recent aid recipients.
Mexican nationals
Quebec's premier is particularly targeting Mexican nationals, who he says make up a “growing share of asylum seekers arriving in Quebec.”
“The ability to enter Canada from Mexico without a visa certainly explains some of the influx of asylum seekers,” he says.
“The airports, particularly in Toronto and Montreal, are becoming seven and it is time to act,” he added, calling on Ottawa to tighten its visa issuance policies.
The current “easing” risks “opening security loopholes exploited by criminalized groups, posing a serious security challenge for Quebec and Canada,” warns Mr. Legault.
Bus transfers
In addition, François Legault insists on a “fair” distribution of asylum seekers throughout Canadian territory “by, for example, starting to resettle applicants in other provinces by bus.”
And he expects the federal government to reimburse Quebec for the 470 million it costs to receive asylum seekers in 2021 and 2022, and to do the same for subsequent years.
“Quebec is no longer able to accommodate a disproportionate number of asylum seekers entering Canada,” he concludes. This is an urgent matter of utmost importance. »
On Wednesday, Quebec Immigration Minister Christine Fréchette issued a similar warning in the media.
She says the arrival of tens of thousands of asylum seekers brings Quebec closer to a “tipping point.”
The day before, at the Montreal Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Justin Trudeau reiterated his intention to increase the annual number of immigrants to 500,000.
However, he said he wanted to regain control over temporary immigration, particularly foreign students and temporary workers, which he said had a greater impact on the housing crisis.
Mr. Trudeau had also called on higher education institutions and businesses to find housing solutions for these temporary residents themselves.