Canadian authorities plan to open an asylum processing center near the Quebec-US border in case the number of potential refugees entering Canada increases significantly.
Earlier this week, the federal government issued a notice seeking office space that it could lease to house reception and meal distribution areas as well as a waiting room that can accommodate up to 200 people at a time.
In an email, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) indicates that the planned processing center is part of its contingency plans “in the event of an influx of asylum seekers”.
The notice from Public Services and Procurement Canada specifies that the building must be located within a 15-kilometer radius of the official border crossing zone of Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, south of Montreal.
The government is seeking to obtain a 12-month lease with the possibility of extension, for installation around May 1.
No increase yet, but a risk
In November, Quebec Premier François Legault worried about the prospect of a massive influx into the province due to promises by US President Donald Trump to launch a vast operation to deport migrants.
-However, despite plans for a new asylum processing centre, the CBSA says it has seen no sustained increase in the number of potential refugees entering the country.
“From September 18, 2024 to January 18, 2025, there was a daily average of 109 requests, compared to a daily average of 212 requests for the same period a year ago,” the ministry said in an email.
Ottawa announced in December an investment of $1.3 billion to strengthen border security in response to Donald Trump’s threats to impose high customs tariffs unless Canada reduces the flow of migrants and drugs crossing it. . Additionally, the Canadian government said it had deployed 60 new drones along the border and would add more surveillance towers.
In 2023, Canada closed the unofficial border crossing along Roxham Road, Quebec. This had then been used by more than 100,000 migrants since 2017 to enter the country from the United States.
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