Ontario Minister for Families, Children and Social Development Lisa MacLeod has reiterated her demands to the federal government in a letter sent to Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen and Border Security Minister Bill Blair.
The letter, dated for Thursday, echoes comments MacLeod made at Tuesday’s House of Commons immigration committee meeting.
“For more than a year, communities across Ontario have been straining to support a high number of illegal border crossers; and the approach of the Federal Government is now testing the patience and generosity of Ontarians,” MacLeod wrote.
She says the Ontario government estimates it will cost $200 million to support the border crossers in Ontario. MacLeod says there have been 36,000 refugee claimants in Ontario since January of 2016, and about 5,500 claimants from Quebec have moved to Ontario.
MacLeod says the costs break down in the following way:
MacLeod also says there is “significant pressure” on the legal aid system as claimants engage with the refugee board.
“Please consider this letter a formal request for direct and full compensation for the costs associated with the lengthy support Ontario and its municipalities are supplying,” MacLeod wrote.
The Progressive Conservative minister is also demanding the federal Liberals speed up the asylum claim process.
“Hearings that should be completed within 60 days are now taking approximately 20 months to be held,” she said. “The federal government must regain control of the processing timetable so that failed claimants leave more quickly, and those accepted as refugees are able to move ahead and integrate into Ontario society.”