Quebec Premier Fran莽ois Legault is asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to slow the influx of asylum seekers entering his province, which he said is nearing a 91裸聊视频渂reaking point.91裸聊视频�

Legault made his request in an official letter to Trudeau sent Wednesday afternoon, a copy of which was obtained by The Canadian Press.

91裸聊视频淲e are very close to the breaking point due to the excessive number of asylum seekers arriving in Quebec month after month. The situation has become unsustainable,91裸聊视频� Legault wrote.

He said that in 2022, Quebec took in more asylum seekers than the rest of the country combined.

The closure of the unofficial Roxham Road crossing point south of Montreal in August 2023 91裸聊视频渕omentarily91裸聊视频� slowed the flow, Legault said. 91裸聊视频淗owever, the arrivals have continued to increase at airports. The number of people arriving on a visitor visa and applying for asylum is also increasing significantly.91裸聊视频�

Nearly 60,000 new asylum seekers were registered in Quebec in the first 11 months of 2023, which has put 91裸聊视频渧ery significant pressure91裸聊视频� on services, the premier writes.

91裸聊视频淎sylum seekers have trouble finding a place to live, which contributes to accentuating the housing crisis,91裸聊视频� the letter said. 91裸聊视频淢any end up in homeless shelters, which are overflowing.91裸聊视频� He said organizations that help asylum seekers can91裸聊视频檛 keep up with demand. Legault said the children of asylum seekers are also straining schools that already have a shortage of teachers and space.

The premier reminded Trudeau that asylum seekers who are waiting for work permits receive financial assistance from Quebec. Last October, 43,200 asylum seekers received $33 million in aid.

Legault expressed particular concern over Mexican nationals, whom he said represent a growing proportion of the asylum seekers coming to the province.

91裸聊视频淭he possibility of entering Canada from Mexico without a visa certainly explains part of the influx of asylum seekers,91裸聊视频� he said.

91裸聊视频淭he airports, particularly in Toronto and Montreal, are becoming sieves and it is time to act,91裸聊视频� he added.

In Iqaluit on Thursday afternoon, Trudeau responded to Legault91裸聊视频檚 letter, saying he agrees 91裸聊视频渢he government of Quebec and Quebecers themselves have been extremely generous91裸聊视频� toward asylum seekers.

Trudeau said Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc 91裸聊视频渋s engaging directly with the province on this issue. And I can say that we will be there to share the burden and the responsibility to continue being a country that welcomes people around the world and integrates them successfully.91裸聊视频�

Legault91裸聊视频檚 letter was not the first time the premier has written to Trudeau on the issue. Last February, he told the prime minister in another letter that Quebec91裸聊视频檚 capacity to receive refugees had been greatly exceeded.

Legault is formally asking the prime minister to tighten its policies around granting visas. He91裸聊视频檚 also seeking the 91裸聊视频渆quitable91裸聊视频� distribution of asylum seekers across Canada, possibly by busing them to other provinces. He wants Ottawa to reimburse Quebec the $470 million it spent on taking in asylum seekers in 2021 and 2022, and to do the same for subsequent years.

91裸聊视频淨uebec is no longer in a position to welcome a disproportionate share of the asylum seekers entering Canada,91裸聊视频� he wrote in conclusion. 91裸聊视频淭his is an urgent matter of the utmost importance.91裸聊视频�

On Tuesday, Trudeau reiterated his government91裸聊视频檚 commitment to welcome 500,000 new permanent immigrants per year by 2025. However, he told the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal that his government wanted greater control over temporary immigration, such as international students and temporary workers, whom he said have a bigger impact on the housing crisis.

Trudeau invited higher education institutions and companies to find their own housing solutions for these temporary residents.

On Thursday, LeBlanc said Quebec has welcomed more than its share of asylum seekers and that he was taking the province91裸聊视频檚 request for reimbursement seriously. But LeBlanc did not commit to transferring asylum seekers elsewhere in the country.

91裸聊视频淲e are committed to working with the government of Quebec to find solutions to the challenges posed by the significant number of asylum seekers that Quebec receives,91裸聊视频� he said in a statement posted to X, formerly Twitter.

91裸聊视频淚n addition, we are evaluating all possible measures to allow asylum seekers to travel to other provinces if they wish to do so.91裸聊视频�

The leader of the Parti Qu茅b茅cois was not impressed with Legault91裸聊视频檚 letter. Paul St-Pierre Plamondon called it a 91裸聊视频渟ymbolic91裸聊视频� gesture and challenged Legault to demand full immigration powers from Ottawa.

Caroline Plante, The Canadian Press