Canada has experienced a significant increase in asylum applications, with a 66% rise in the early months of 2024 compared to the same period last year, according to data released by the Canadian Immigration Department.
The data revealed that as of March 31, 2023, Canada and the United States had closed the Roxham Road, a popular route used by asylum seekers to cross the land border into Quebec and file their applications.
This closure led to a dramatic decrease in the number of interceptions by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) at the Quebec border, dropping from over 4,000 interceptions per month to just a few dozen.
However, this has not deterred the overall number of asylum seekers, who have shifted to primarily using airports for entry.
During the first four months of 2024, the number of asylum applications in Ontario nearly tripled, rising from 11,915 to 31,820.
In contrast, the number of applications in Quebec remained relatively stable, increasing slightly from 22,605 to 22,905.
Overall, the total number of asylum applications across Canada surged from 37,480 to 62,180 during this period.
Ontario now receives 51% of all asylum applications, up from 36% the previous year.
This shift helps balance the distribution of refugees between Ontario and Quebec, addressing Quebec's earlier complaints about bearing a disproportionate share of the asylum burden.
Follow the latest news on Google News
