Canada to resettle 10,000 more Syrian refugees over 3 years

Immigration Minister Chris Alexander has said that Canada would resettle 10,000 more Syrian refugees Iover the next three years in direct response to the United Nations Refugee Agency’s global appeal to resettle 100,000 refugees worldwide. “We are here today as we have been saying for some time to confirm that Canada is doing more,” Alexander said during an announcement in Toronto. Of the 10,000 Syrian refugees, Alexander said that approximately 60 per cent would be sponsored by private groups and 40 per cent would be sponsored by the government.

Canada’s pledge comes as a report released Wednesday from the United Nations high commissioner for refugees says the number of Syrian refugees has outnumbered Afghans as the largest refugee population under the protection of the United Nations.

The UN Refugee Agency welcomed Canada’s “generous commitment” saying, in a written statement, “this substantial pledge is in keeping with Canada’s strong humanitarian tradition to offer resettlement to refugees worldwide.”
Today’s announcement also comes on the heels of intense criticism by immigration groups who said the government was not doing enough after the country fell behind on its previous commitment to take in 1,300 Syrian refugees by the end of 2014.

“As of today 1,285 refugees have been approved to come to Canada. Almost 1,100 of those are in Canada,” Alexander said.That number includes 360 refugees sponsored by the government — 160 above its initial commitment of 200. “We expect the remaining refugees to arrive in Canada by March 2015.”