Close X
Monday, December 16, 2024
ADVT 
National

Cost Of Syrian Refugee Program Will Near $1 Billion With New Money In Budget

IANS, 23 Mar, 2016 12:05 PM
    OTTAWA — The marquee Liberal commitment to Syrian refugee resettlement could end up costing taxpayers close to $1 billion.
     
    Tuesday's federal budget provided an additional $245 million over five years to bring in the remaining 10,000 people needed to meet the Liberal promise to resettle 25,000 government assisted Syrian refugees by the end of 2016.
     
    That's on top of $678 million over six years set aside by the Liberals in November when they rolled out a plan to resettle 25,000 Syrians in total by the end of last month.
     
    The actual current estimate for the program is higher.
     
    Recently tabled government documents peg it at $698 million, which the Immigration Department says takes into account the full $100 million the Liberals have committed to the UN for its role in getting Syrians safe haven in Canada, and elsewhere.
     
    The original budget only accounted for $10 million of that contribution.
     
    As of March 20, 26,202 Syrians have arrived in Canada since the Liberals took power in November.
     
    The new money for Syrians is on top of other new funding for immigration, including $56 million over three years to support the government's commitment to increased immigration levels overall.
     
    The money will support settlement programs, included language training, which is in high demand among Syrian refugees and other new arrivals. Wait times in some areas are over a year.
     
     
    The Liberals are aiming to welcome around 300,000 new permanent residents this year, including 80,000 people in the so-called family class stream, up from last year's target of 68,000. The family class program is designed to reunite families in Canada.
     
    Spending on the program was just over $30 million in 2014-2015; the Liberals are adding a further $25 million this year, following up a campaign commitment to nearly double the program budget.
     
    "We believe families belong together," Finance Minister Bill Morneau said in his budget speech. "Family reunification contributes to the well-being of all Canadians by contributing to our collective wealth, in both sociocultural and economic terms."
     
    The money the government has already committed to the UN for Syrian refugee resettlement is in addition to $1.2 billion in development and humanitarian support to countries in that region, part of the Liberals' recently refocused mission to combat Islamic militants.
     
    Tuesday's budget also sees $256 million added over two years to what's known as the international assistance envelope to "increase Canada's ability to respond to emerging international assistance priorities," the budget says.
     
     
    A further $585.5 million over three years will be allocated to programs promoting peace and security around the world, but the money would come from unallocated funds in the assistance envelope.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Spring Storm Headed To Atlantic Canada, Significant Snowfall Expected

    Spring Storm Headed To Atlantic Canada, Significant Snowfall Expected
    Environment Canada has issued special weather statements for Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, P.E.I. and Newfoundland and Labrador.

    Spring Storm Headed To Atlantic Canada, Significant Snowfall Expected

    Former PM Joe Clark Honoured For International Leadership, Innovation

    Waterloo-based Centre for International Governance and Innovation named Clark as one of its 2016 Honourees at an event in Atlanta, Ga.

    Former PM Joe Clark Honoured For International Leadership, Innovation

    Ex-Soldier Acquitted Before Military Court Martial, But Faces $8,000 Legal Bill

    Ex-Soldier Acquitted Before Military Court Martial, But Faces $8,000 Legal Bill
    Wade Pear, a veteran of multiple ground tours in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Cyprus, was tried before the military tribunal, even though he's been a civilian for two-and-a-half years.

    Ex-Soldier Acquitted Before Military Court Martial, But Faces $8,000 Legal Bill

    4 Heroin-Addicted B.C. Inmates Say Difficulty Accessing Opiate Replacements Unconstitutional

    4 Heroin-Addicted B.C. Inmates Say Difficulty Accessing Opiate Replacements Unconstitutional
    Four heroin-addicted inmates in British Columbia jails have launched a charter challenge to gain opiate addiction treatment, 

    4 Heroin-Addicted B.C. Inmates Say Difficulty Accessing Opiate Replacements Unconstitutional

    Police Dog Arco Saves Distraught Woman In Nanaimo, B.C. And Gets Huge Biscuit For Job Well Done

    Police responded to a report about an 18-year-old woman who threatened to harm herself after some setbacks but she'd taken off into the woods by the time officers arrived with Arco on Thursday afternoon

    Police Dog Arco Saves Distraught Woman In Nanaimo, B.C. And Gets Huge Biscuit For Job Well Done

    Man Charged With Accessing Child Pornography In Edmonton Public Library

    Man Charged With Accessing Child Pornography In Edmonton Public Library
    The Internet Child Exploitation team nabbed the suspect at his home in north Edmonton last week

    Man Charged With Accessing Child Pornography In Edmonton Public Library