Today, the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) released a report titled Costing Irregular Migration across Canada’s Southern Border. The report concludes that the average cost for each illegal migrant who entered Canada in 2017-18 is $14,321 rising to $16,666 for 2019-20. The report also estimates that future costs relating to illegal border crossing are projected to be between $208 million - $538 million for the 2018-19 fiscal year and between $211 million - $609 million for the 2019-20 fiscal year.
Canada has been facing a massive influx of migrants entering the country from the United States outside of official ports of entry. This illegal migration has put a massive strain on federal government agencies such as the Canada Border Services Agency, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the Canadian Armed Forces, and the Immigration Review Board.
The report released today presents the average unit cost per refugee claimant based on the costs associated with the federal organizations involved in the asylum process. It should be noted that costs have also been incurred by provincial governments and local municipalities as a result of the illegal migration. The PBO’s report states: “the federal government has provided no guidance regarding the reimbursement of future expenses. As such, this non-federal cost is excluded from the PBO’s cost estimate.”
“Today, the PBO confirmed what we have been saying all along; those crossing the border illegally are costing us dearly and undermining the legal immigration process,” said Larry Miller Member of Parliament for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound. “Canada is a welcoming country and so it should be. That being said, for this Government to continue to allow this type of illegal immigration and incur the costs associated with it is a slap in the face to those seeking to come to Canada legally. This Government has tools available to it to stop this process. They need to clean up their act, show some leadership and put an end to this illegal immigration.”
For more information please visit; https://www.pbo-dpb.gc.ca/en/blog/news/Co%C3%BBt%20de%20la%20migration%20irr%C3%A9guli%C3%A8re.
source: media release, MP Larry Miller
