Federal Immigration Detention Infrastructure

Backgrounder

People detained under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) may be detained in immigration holding centres or in provincial facilities. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) administers three Immigration Holding Centres (IHC) located in Toronto, Laval and a short term facility in Vancouver.

While the current national immigration detention infrastructure requires significant upgrades, here are some key facts: 

In Ontario, the Immigration Holding Centre in Toronto was built in 2004 and then occupied by the CBSA. It is operated by a private sector service-provider but is not designed or serviced to address persons who present a higher risk profile.

The Toronto Immigration Holding Centre offers:         

•         Capacity of 195 persons,

•         On-site access to Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) Hearings,

•         Chaplaincy and multi-faith services,

•         Counselling,

•         Health care providers on site,

•         Recreation facilities, and

•         Educational programming

In Quebec, the CBSA, has an arrangement through a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with Correctional Service Canada to occupy a facility, in Laval. The facility was built in the mid 1950’s and adapted for use as a CBSA-run IHC in 1996. Due to limitations with provincial jail space in Quebec, all detainees, except the highest public safety risk, are managed in this facility.

The Laval IHC offers:

•         Capacity of 144 persons,

•         Chaplaincy and multi-faith services,

•         Counselling,

•         Health care providers on-site,

•         Recreation facilities, and

•         Educational programming.

This site does not have on-site access to the IRB.

In British Columbia, the Vancouver IHC, a short-term facility, is located at the Vancouver International Airport. The facility was reconstructed and occupied by the CBSA in 1999. People are held at this IHC for a maximum of 48 hours. All detainees in the region, including low and medium-risk, held beyond 48 hours are detained in a provincial facility due to the limitations of the holding centre. In addition, because people are held for a maximum of 48 hours, there is no on-site access to the IRB and, no access to educational programming, nor health care providers on-site.

The IHC offers:

•         Maximum capacity of 24 persons for a maximum of 48 hours,

•         Chaplaincy and multi-faith services, and

•         Limited recreation facilities

Moving forward, the Government of Canada will improve infrastructure and expand the availability of alternatives to detention.

These key investments will significantly improve conditions at CBSA IHCs, to better align with international and domestic standards for immigration detention and reduce the reliance on provincial correctional facilities.

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