Citizenship and Immigration Committee on May 25th, 2026

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London Centre, ON]

Sure.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Mr. Deschênes, is it okay with you if we continue the session until 1:00 p.m.? All right.

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Hold on, we should at least have 10 minutes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Okay. We will finish at 12.58, so that'll give us 10 minutes.

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Mr. Deschênes, I hope that's okay.

Thank you. We will continue.

Mr. Chang, you have 55 seconds to finish up.

[Wade Chang, Liberal, Burnaby Central, BC]

Ms. Roulet, the federal government has emphasized restoring balance and sustainability to the immigration system, and Quebec has recently seen a significant decline in asylum claims.

From the perspective of a service provider, how important are predictable and manageable intake levels in helping newcomers receive the support they need to settle successfully?

[Héléna Roulet]

That's a good question.

Certainly, when it comes to having a comprehensive view, other organizations such as the Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes could tell you more about this.

For our part, we note that there have been no emergency shelters in the region for several months now. At this point, we are able to support people. It is true that there are always increasingly complex needs. That is what, I think, adds to the equation. There is indeed the issue of housing, which is always and obviously important. It is the foundation; it is an essential need. However, we really want to see the person as a whole. This is where we need to invest more to better understand, so that the community can truly be of help.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you, Ms. Roulet.

Thank you so much, Mr. Chang.

Mr. Deschênes, you have the floor for six minutes.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

Mr. Fortin, I am very pleased that you have agreed to take part in our important study on the provincial distribution of asylum seekers in Canada and that you can share your expertise with us.

I read that, in 2025, you submitted a report to the Government of Quebec. In that report, you proposed reducing the number of asylum seekers accepted in Quebec. According to the latest figures on the current situation, Quebec accounts for 22% of Canada's population, but it accepts up to 37% of asylum seekers.

You proposed reducing the number of asylum seekers in Quebec by nearly half over the course of a few years. Why did you make this proposal?

[Pierre Fortin]

I did so in a general context where government policy in Ottawa and Quebec City is to slow down the pace of immigration.

First, it's quite clear that, compared to countries like those Mr. Barutciski referred to—namely, Germany and Denmark—Canada has a higher proportion of people arriving here as asylum seekers.

Second, over the past year and a half, over half a million more asylum seekers have arrived in Canada.

So I made this proposal in a general context where the pace has to be slowed down, not only in Quebec—I know you're particularly concerned about the issue in Quebec—but also in Ontario. Quebec and Ontario take in 85% of all asylum seekers in Canada.

So I proposed two things to the Government of Quebec. On the one hand, I proposed that asylum claims be moderated at the same pace as other sources of temporary immigration. Second, I suggested that, to the extent possible—I'm not an expert in this area—there be better interprovincial distribution.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

You're an economist, so I'd like to hear your comments about the impact on Quebec of receiving a number of asylum seekers that's much larger than its demographic weight. What impact have you observed on Quebec's economy and public finances, and on the integration of asylum seekers and the French language?

[Pierre Fortin]

First of all, it's very important to understand that the problem of housing shortages and housing affordability is compounded by the fact that the number of asylum seekers is very high compared to the number of people involved in other forms of temporary or permanent immigration. We're seeing reluctance on the part of landlords. If a landlord is told that an asylum seeker would like to rent a unit, the landlord will wonder how long they will rent for and about the risk of losing that tenant within six months, a year or a year and a half. Therefore, landlords are naturally more reluctant to accept asylum seekers than other types of immigrants.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

I have only two minutes left with you.

What's the impact on Quebec's public finances of receiving a significant share of Canada's asylum seekers?

[Pierre Fortin]

The largest portion of public services that a provincial government such as Quebec's or Ontario's has to absorb is social assistance, the safety net. For example, the Quebec government's most recent request to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada sought a $750‑million reimbursement to cover the cost of social assistance.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

There's one minute left.

[Pierre Fortin]

To give you an idea, in the Greater Montreal area, it's estimated that 55% of welfare recipients are immigrants.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

You say that Quebec is asking the federal government to reimburse it for more than $700 million of public services provided to asylum seekers. As an economist, do you believe that this request from the Quebec government is justified?

[Pierre Fortin]

Yes. The sole responsibility for asylum claims lies with the federal government, not the provincial governments. Therefore, if public services are provided by the provinces, whether it's in Saskatchewan, Ontario or Quebec, it's only natural to expect the federal government to reimburse them as quickly as possible for the amounts they spend to serve this federal objective of managing asylum claims. It's a matter of logic, not the Constitution.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

That's right.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you, Professor Fortin.

Thank you, Mr. Deschênes.

I'm sorry. We're over time.

We have three minutes for Mr. Menegakis, three minutes for Mr. Joseph and one minute for you to finish up, Mr. Deschênes.

Go ahead, Mr. Menegakis.

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Mr. Clinton, we saw an increase in quarter four of 2025 in the asylum claim backlogs. Why do you believe that's happening?

[David Clinton]

The first reason is that the IRB simply can't handle the flow.

The second reason, obviously, is that whatever controls there could be on who gets to claim and the circumstances in which they get to claim are too loose. How easy it is to fix all those, I don't know.

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

Do you believe that the long processing times are probably costing taxpayers more, given the extra benefits that the asylum claimants get, such as accommodations or better health benefits than Canadians get?

[David Clinton]

I'm sure that's driving costs up, certainly.