Free hotel rooms, meals for refugee applicants reportedly cost $769M in 2023

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The government rang up a $769-million bill to provide free hotel rooms and meals for refugees and illegal immigrants this year, according to the Department of Immigration.

Lengths of hotel stays ranged from a “few weeks to a few months” an official said, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.

“There are two mechanisms of funding,” Nathalie Manseau, chief financial officer for the immigration department, testified at the Senate National Finance Committee, according to Blacklock’s.

The $769 million represented the combined cost.

“The first one is the interim lodging sites, which are the hotels,” said Manseau. “The anticipated expenditure for this fiscal year is $557 million. We still have a few months in the year, so it’s anticipated spending. The other is the interim housing assistance program, the $212 million.”

“The way the program works is different municipalities will submit a request for reimbursement and the department will assess the request and provide reimbursement up to $212 million,” said Manseau.

About half the money, “nearly $100 million specifically,” was to reimburse municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area, she said.

Manseau didn’t detail how many refugee applicants and illegal immigrants were accommodated at $769 million.

“Where are you putting these people?” asked Sen. Larry Smith (Que.).

“Leases with the different hotels,” replied Manseau.

“How long do people stay in these facilities?” asked Sen. Smith.

“It varies from a few weeks to a few months,” replied Manseau.

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In a May 4 Inquiry Of Ministry tabled in the Commons, the immigration department said room and board for illegal immigrants at a single Quebec border crossing cost the equivalent of $1,220 per person.

Costs for hotel rooms and meals for 105,315 illegal immigrants who crossed into Canada at Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Que., totalled $127.5 million over a five-year period.