Several major Canadian cities will temporarily stop taking Syrian refugees, the government
said, after they revealed that they were struggling to find proper accommodation in the dead
of winter.
Refugee agencies in Halifax, Ottawa, Vancouver and Toronto asked for a pause in
resettlements, citing a lack of affordable housing and a shortage of staff. The latest hiccup in
the government’s plan to resettle 25,000 refugees — a mix of privately sponsored and
government-assisted refugees — by March 1 comes as 11,613 Syrian refugees have already
arrived in Canada since Nov. 4 when the Liberals were sworn into power.
Immigration Minister John McCallum told reporters in Toronto that he would oblige and
have new arrivals diverted to other cities until those feeling overwhelmed sort out their
issues.
McCallum acknowledged that “housing is a challenge, but I think we are in the process of
meeting that challenge,” he said. Some government-assisted refugees will have to stay in
temporary accommodations near the Toronto and Montreal airports for a few days before
travelling to their host cities, said the minister.
“I am told that this will be resolved in a matter of a few days, not longer than that,” McCallum
said.
“At the present time, four communities, Vancouver, Ottawa, Toronto and Halifax, have asked us
to delay new arrivals for a few days,” said Theodora Jean, a spokeswoman with the Immigration
Department said on a TV channel. McCallum said the Liberals aren’t talking of cancelling
government-organized flights carrying Syrian refugees just yet, but rather delaying transport to
the cities that will welcome them. “The flow from the airplanes is not slowing down at all. It’s just
that if certain towns or cities need a pause, there will be other places in Canada who will receive
the refugees,” he said. According to information posted on the government’s website, nearly 600
Syrian refugees are expected to arrive at the Toronto and Montreal airports by the Friday
morning. “The flow from the airplanes is not slowing down at all,” he said. “But if certain
towns or cities need a pause, there will be other places in Canada that will receive the
refugees. “There are many, many places in Canada that are crying out for refugees.”
As of January 19, Canada has welcomed 11,866 Syrian refugees and another 5,829 have been
cleared to travel here.
Ottawa has pledged to take in a total 25,000 by the end of February.
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