Citizenship and Immigration Committee on June 1st, 2026

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Alexis Deschênes]

Mr. Joseph, you have the floor. I'm sorry about that.

[Natilien Joseph, Liberal, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

That's fine.

I will let Ms. Scott continue.

[Catherine Scott]

For a while, the department used hotels to house asylum seekers when there was a very high volume of claims and increased pressure on shelters in municipalities and in the province of Quebec. However, that program ended on October 1, 2025. As a result, the department no longer has hotels to house asylum seekers. The funding is provided to municipalities through the interim housing assistance program.

[Natilien Joseph, Liberal, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Thank you.

Now, I'd like you to tell me about regionalization.

Does your department see this approach as a potential solution to better meet intake needs and, beyond that, integration needs?

[Catherine Scott]

Thank you for the question.

Yes, increasing the regionalization of asylum seekers is a very intriguing avenue. First of all, communities must have the capacity to take in asylum seekers. As I mentioned, we signed agreements with New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador, precisely to see if this model could work well. What matters is that asylum seekers, when they arrive in a host community, can find a job. The models we have put in place facilitate—

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

I have a point of order. The English interpretation is not catching up with the French.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Alexis Deschênes]

You're having trouble following the debate, is that right?

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

Maybe the witness could speak a little more slowly.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Alexis Deschênes]

Would you like the interpreter to speak more slowly or the witness to speak more slowly?

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

With respect, Chair, I can't even hear you because the interpretation is a little slow right now.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Alexis Deschênes]

Then, we will ask the interpreters to raise their voices and try to follow the debate, so that we can continue.

I remind you that we have about six minutes left in the meeting and that each point of order prevents us from hearing from the witnesses.

Ms. Scott, the floor is yours.

[Catherine Scott]

As I mentioned, what matters is that asylum seekers can be supported in their search for employment and housing. It's an intriguing model that we want to explore.

[Natilien Joseph, Liberal, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

In Quebec and the regions, we are experiencing an unprecedented labour shortage. There are asylum seekers who congregate in major cities, such as Montreal, with an open work permit.

Do you think that regionalization within the provinces, for example in Quebec, would be just as effective? Based on what I heard earlier, there may already be a dispute among the provinces that say they don't want it.

[Catherine Scott]

I would like a clarification: Are you talking about regionalization within Quebec?

[Natilien Joseph, Liberal, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Yes. I could have talked about New Brunswick, but I'm a Quebecker.

[Catherine Scott]

There has certainly been enormous pressure on the greater Montreal area in recent years with the arrival of asylum seekers. I think that's exactly why the department has issued open work permits: It allows asylum seekers to seek employment not only in the city where they're being welcomed, but also across the country, if they so choose.

We know that asylum seekers are incredibly talented. We've seen asylum seekers integrating into health services, manufacturing and the service sector, for example. I think that shows the importance of the open work permit, which allows—

[Natilien Joseph, Liberal, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Since I only have a few seconds left, I'd like to ask you one last question.

If I understand correctly, asylum seekers can make an invaluable contribution to the vitality of our economy, can't they?

[Catherine Scott]

Yes, that's correct. The Parliamentary Budget Officer's report actually showed that asylum seekers do their part and pay federal and provincial taxes.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Alexis Deschênes]

Thank you very much, Ms. Scott. Unfortunately, that's all the time the member had left.

I now have the floor for two and a half minutes.

Mr. Hollmann, I'm interested in the legality of the current agreements you have signed with Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick. Through these agreements, as I understand it, these provinces have voluntarily agreed to open their doors. It's a small thing, but it's a start.

Do asylum seekers who are relocated have to consent and volunteer?

[Jason Hollmann]

Yes, exactly. Under this model, asylum seekers volunteer to move to another location.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Alexis Deschênes]

So far, how does it work when this option is presented to asylum seekers?

[Jason Hollmann]

I think many of them were housed in hotels. That was organized by the department. We spoke with them and presented them with this offer, and they wanted to seize the opportunity to move to those provinces.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Alexis Deschênes]

Ms. Scott, you mentioned the results, but I wrote down the figures wrong.

How many asylum seekers have agreed to move to the Maritimes?

[Catherine Scott]

Thank you for the question.

So far, 290 people have done so.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Alexis Deschênes]

Was it easy to communicate with those 290 people?