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Irregular migrants will cost Canada over $340 million, says PBO

The average cost for migrants who entered the country between April 2017 and March 2018 is just over $14,000
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Canada’s budget watchdog says asylum-seekers who entered Canada irregularly last year will cost federal organizations a total of $340 million.

Parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux says the average cost for migrants who entered the country between April 2017 and March 2018 is just over $14,000, but this amount can vary based on how long they have to wait for their refugee claims to be finalized.

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Conservative MP Larry Maguire asked Giroux to analyze the current and projected costs of dealing with an influx of irregular migrants who have been crossing the Canada-U.S. border since 2017.

The analysis — which calculated all costs from the moment the migrants arrive in Canada until decisions are reached on their claims — concluded costs will rise to $396 million in 2019-2020.

These costs do not include those borne by provincial or municipal governments.

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Giroux says the federal figures suggest Ontario’s estimated cost of $200 million for dealing with irregular migrants in that province alone is a reasonable estimate.

The Canadian Press

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