When British Columbia Premier David Eby criticized the federal government for giving Quebec $750 million to manage asylum seekers, the provincial premier was “confused” about the facts, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday.
“I think the prime minister is probably confused about what this money is going to be used for. There’s been some suggestion it’s for temporary residents, which is absolutely not the case,” Miller said in Ottawa.
The money is “to compensate Quebec for two years of costs it incurred due to the disproportionate influx of refugee claimants,” Miller added. “I think maybe he misunderstood what the money was for.”
Last year, Quebec Earned 65 percent Ninety-five per cent of Canadian refugee claimants enter the country through official border crossings, and 95 per cent enter the country illegally.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller said British Columbia Premier David Eby was “confused” about the facts when he criticized the federal government for giving Quebec $750 million to manage the influx of refugee claimants.
British Columbia accepts just 1.8 per cent of asylum seekers who enter Canada through official border crossings and just 4.2 per cent of refugees who enter Canada through unofficial border crossings.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday that Quebec will receive $750 million to fund “the provision of services to asylum seekers, including temporary housing.”
Speaking after the announcement at a press conference marking the end of the annual conference of western provinces premiers in Whitehorse, Eby said the funding earmarked for Quebec came “at the expense of the West.”
“Today’s announcement for Quebec has, frankly, taken the lid off my patience,” Eby said Monday.
“Speaking for British Columbia, how frustrating it is for us to see money being funneled to Quebec and Ontario, leaving us scrambling desperately for what’s left. This is unacceptable.”
BC ‘must tackle’ refugee issue, says Miller
Eby said 10,000 people arrive in British Columbia every 37 days, but the province’s housing shortage is forcing refugees into homeless shelters, and international students aren’t getting the support they need.
“When you’re talking about quantities, it’s important to break it down because not everything is necessarily comparable,” Miller says. “Let’s not confuse apples with oranges.”
“The majority of people who go to British Columbia are participating in economic programs that bring capital to British Columbia and Canada. They pay taxes and are part of the reason British Columbia’s economy is doing so well.”
Miller said provinces that want to take in more refugees can ask the federal government for help. “We need provinces like British Columbia to actually address their asylum seeker quotas,” Miller said.
Miller also said British Columbia has not applied for funding from the federal government’s Transitional Housing Assistance Program for Asylum Seekers since 2019.
On the same day, Soraya Martinez-Ferrada, Canada’s Tourism Minister, who is responsible for Quebec’s economic development, said her government was working with Premier Eby “to ensure we are able to support the people of British Columbia.”
