From Afghanistan to Haiti, a rash of global turmoil has led the number of asylum seekers to balloon, with Canada feeling the effects of an overburdened system.
Driving the news: Following a rise in asylum seekers who are ending up on the streets of major Canadian cities, the advocacy group Canadian Council for Refugees is calling on the feds to revamp Canada’s refugee system as it struggles with a historic influx of claimants.
- The group recommends measures like creating a network of refugee-specific transitional housing — rather than relying on hotel rooms or shelters.
Zoom in: Canada has two refugee programs. One lets people apply for refugee status outside of Canada, often via the UN, while the other lets people at a point of entry already in the country make a claim to stay. The latter has allowed for the spike in claims at airports.
Why it matters: Canada received ~138,000 refugee claims in 2023, a nearly 130% increase from the year before. The system simply wasn’t built to handle that big an influx, creating a situation where municipal services are overtaxed, government money is being spent inefficiently, and asylum seekers are struggling, unable to work or find a place to live.
- Earlier this year, Ottawa topped up a fund to help house refugee claimants with another $362 million, but even the housing minister admitted that a reform is needed.
What’s next: This year could see a dip in claimants thanks to policy changes cracking down on Mexican refugees, a group that made up the largest share of claimants last year. But with claims taking years to process, the system will continue to be gummed up.—QH