Despite the increasing number of refugee claimants in Canada — the vast majority of whom are middle-aged men — Premier Danielle Smith says Alberta is currently full. 

Asked if she’d take some from Quebec, where most asylum seekers first arrive by plane, Smith told reporters on Tuesday that the timing isn’t right.

“We’re experiencing a similar type of pressure that the federal government has to align the number of people coming into the country with the capacity of our system to be able to support it,” she said, adding, “whether it’s building homes or whether it’s providing healthcare or education.” 

The Premier said Alberta houses just 12% of the Canadian population but currently takes in 22% of newcomers to Canada.

Asylum seeker surge

Refugee claimants have spiked in Canada ever since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau infamously flung open the doors for them in 2017, tweeting that everyone is welcome in Canada.

Since then, provinces continue to sound alarm bells over the influx of asylum seekers. Quebec Premier François Legault told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that his province has reached a “breaking point” in January, as an overwhelming number of individuals continue to show up in Quebec’s airports on round trip flight purchases only to request asylum upon arrival. 

The federal Liberals subsequently announced they would provide $750 million to help Quebec manage associated costs, but nothing was offered to other provinces.

BC Premier David Eby said he would be open to taking more refugee claimants off Quebec’s hands, but only if the feds will provide the same financial support.

“If it is a federal program to support new arrivals, it needs to be in place nationally,” he said.

Liberals consider buying up hotels

Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced recently that he might start buying up hotels to house the surge of refugee claimants.

Since Justin Trudeau became Prime Minister, more than half of individuals given deportation orders remain in Canada.