The sudden influx of asylum seekers has caught Canada off guard, with cities bearing the brunt of the impact. Canadian cities are struggling to cope with a record surge of newcomers seeking asylum, which is straining their budgets and overwhelming temporary shelters.
In Peel, a suburban region in greater Toronto, the shelter system is operating at 300% of its capacity, with asylum-seekers occupying more than 70% of the beds and many more living on the streets, according to Patrick Brown, the mayor of Brampton, Ontario.
"This is a challenging situation. If Canada is going to admit more asylum claimants into our country, we need to ensure that they are not left without support. Unfortunately, we have seen too much of that," said Brown, whose city is located near Toronto Pearson, the busiest airport in Canada.
The situation in Brampton reflects Canada's broader struggle to manage the rapid increase in the number of immigrants seeking refuge. Shelter systems in Montreal, Ottawa, and Vancouver are also over capacity, exacerbating the shortage of available places for the homeless population.
While Canada experiences far fewer irregular border crossings than the US due to its geography, there has been an increase in the number of asylum seekers arriving by air, particularly from Mexico. This influx has prompted policy shifts by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government, including ending a pact with the US that resulted in asylum-seekers crossing into Canada from the US at Roxham Road and reimposing visa rules for many Mexican citizens.
Canada has also announced plans to reduce the size of its temporary resident population, which includes asylum claimants and foreigners on temporary work permits. The increase in asylum claimants is attributed to conflicts and crises in other nations, the resumption of international travel after the pandemic, and Canada's broadening of the legal basis for asylum claims.
In response to the crisis, Trudeau's government offered about $360 million to provinces and cities in January to help deal with the housing pressures from asylum claimants. The government says it has transferred about $750 million to other levels of government since 2017 to help with asylum-related housing costs.
Brampton has also become a focal point for colleges looking to capitalize on the demand from international students, many of whom see higher education as a pathway to settling in Canada. However, many of these new arrivals face challenges such as soaring rents and lack of part-time jobs, leading some to live in "unfortunate conditions" including encampments and overcrowded apartments.
Overall, the influx of asylum seekers has put a significant financial strain on cities, which have never before had to fund this level of support. Under Ontario law, local governments cannot run budget deficits to pay for such unexpected costs, leading to difficult decisions about where to allocate limited funds.
