Immigration and Refugee Board officials reported a backlog of 180,000 illegal immigrants and asylum seekers asking to remain in Canada. Speaking at a Senate Social Affairs Committee hearing, immigration department director general of asylum policy Jason Hollmann testified authorities must speed up asylum decisions that may take years, per Blacklock’s Reporter. “Thousands of claimants are facing long wait times at multiple points in the process,” said Hollmann. “Where does the backlog stand at today?” asked Sen. Ratna Omidvar.“Claim volumes have been growing. Last year Canada received 144,000 asylum claims. In terms of the initial eligibility determination the inventory is around 34,000,” replied Hollmann.“Although it falls under the Immigration and Refugee Board my understanding is their inventory for decisions is around 180,000,” said Hollmann. “Good God,” replied Omidvar.The Department of Immigration estimates it has budgeted almost $3 billion to provide room and board for illegal immigrants and asylum seekers. Hollmann testified there were further costs for taxpayers.“Typically the role of the federal government has been to ensure that claimants receive interim federal health benefits, that we provide access to legal aid, and we provide work permits so claimants can support themselves while their claim is pending,” said Hollmann. “The other support services are traditionally offered by other jurisdictions. The government has been providing interim housing support since 2017.”The immigration department in an earlier report to the Senate National Finance Committee disclosed shelter costs including hotel rooms were costly and stated “historically asylum claimants were expected to secure their own housing and when they could not they accessed provincial and municipal shelter systems.”“Since 2017 however due to the higher volume of claimants arriving in Canada the government has expended approximately $1.76 billion to help address the interim housing needs of asylum claimants,” the report states. Another $1.1 billion in shelter subsidies was budgeted “starting in 2024” for three years, it said. No figures were itemized for the cost of medicare, children’s education, language training, food bank usage, free counsel or other expenses.Cabinet in a May 3 Inquiry Of Ministry tabled in the Commons said room and board alone averaged $224 per day for illegal immigrants and asylum claimants. The cost “ensures asylum claimants are treated with compassion,” said the inquiry.
