CIMM – Support for Asylum Claimants – March 23, 2026
Key Messages
The Government of Canada recognizes the pressures on provinces, municipalities and community partners from high volumes of asylum claimants and shelter demands.
Although asylum claim volumes remain high, they were 34% lower in 2025 compared to 2024 and have been 37% lower in January 2026 compared to January 2025. The demand for temporary accommodation is steadily decreasing.
We recognize that when asylum claimants quickly get the services they need, they are better able to support themselves and ultimately, contribute to Canadian communities.
While provinces manage and deliver social services, including social assistance, education, housing and legal aid to asylum claimants, the federal government supports these efforts in several ways, including through:
the Interim Housing Assistance Program, and
the Interim Federal Health Program.
Interim Housing Assistance Program
Since 2017, through the Interim Housing Assistance Program (IHAP), the federal government provides funding to provincial and municipal governments to support efforts to address the temporary housing needs of asylum claimants. As of January 31, 2026, the government has provided approximately $1.8B to provinces and municipalities.
Budget 2024 provided $1.1B in funding to extend and renew IHAP to March 2027.
While funding prior to 2024 focused on supporting jurisdictions’ short-term emergency measures like hotels and relieving pressure on municipal shelters, the renewed IHAP prioritizes funding for cost-effective, sustainable solutions and capacity building.
Budget 2025 states that to meet up to 15% in savings targets over three years, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is rationalizing programming, while upholding the government's long-standing commitment to resettle the world's most vulnerable. This includes targeted adjustments to programs, including adjusting the IHAP commensurate with the decline in asylum claimants.
As a part of a transition period in 2023‒2024, IRCC provided $22.4M to Peel Region and $27.7M to the City of Ottawa to help them increase their capacity to serve asylum claimants through reception centres.
Both municipalities have used these investments towards phasing out emergency hotel stays for asylum claimants.
Other funded jurisdictions are now setting up their own reception and transitional housing centres to move to sustainable models that promote housing independence for claimants.
IRCC played a central role in exploring options for relocating asylum claimants from population centres in Quebec and Ontario to other regions across the country. This was conducted through the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration (FMRI) Asylum Working Group established in May 2024.
This paved the way for bilateral agreements with Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick for voluntary relocation of asylum claimants from other jurisdictions.
IRCC established a process with Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick, to assist with the voluntary relocation of asylum claimants from Ontario. Over the next two years, Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick have committed to welcome 290 and 400 claimants, respectively. These relocation efforts aim to help support claimants’ housing independence and fill labour market gaps.
As of January 31, 2026, over 180 claimants have voluntarily relocated to Newfoundland and Labrador and approximately 90 to New Brunswick.
Ontario and Quebec
While the majority of asylum claimants continue to arrive in Ontario and Quebec, both provinces saw a significant reduction in claims in 2025 compared to 2024—a trend that continues into 2026.
This decline mirrors the overall national trend, reflecting a slower pace of new arrivals in 2025 and for January 2026.
Ontario receives the highest share of asylum claimants nationally (45% of total intake in 2025), though volumes decreased by approximately 42% in 2025 (51,965) compared to 2024 (89,390). So far for 2026, Ontario volumes for January (3,025) have decreased by 40% compared to January 2025 (5,080).
Quebec receives the second highest share of asylum claims in Canada (34% of total intake in 2025), though volumes have decreased by approximately 32% in 2025 (39,420) compared to 2024 (57,820). So far for 2026, Quebec volumes for January (1,985) have decreased by 37% compared to January 2025 (3,170).
It’s important to note that the numbers cited reflect where claims were made and are not necessarily indicative of where claimants ultimately reside.
As of January 31, 2026, Ontario municipalities have received $1.2B from IHAP in response to increasing numbers of asylum claimants in the province.
Currently, for 2025–2027, the City of Ottawa, Region of Peel, Municipality of Waterloo, Municipality of Durham, Region of Halton, Simcoe County, the City of London, the City of Hamilton, Regional Municipality of York and the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, and New Brunswick are receiving IHAP funding totaling approximately $363M.
IRCC is also responsive to the needs of larger urban centres and has finalized an IHAP agreement with the City of Toronto of $261.8M for 2025-2027, as well as an additional grant of $62.9M in 2025-2026 to support the City in providing interim housing to asylum claimants and other newcomers while the city transitions to more sustainable and cost-effective approaches.
IRCC has finalized an IHAP agreement with the City of Ottawa for $112.6M for 2025-2027, which includes an additional grant of $340,931 under IHAP to assist the City in further alleviating immediate pressures.
If asked about Voluntary Relocation of Claimants:
Through IHAP agreements with IRCC, Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick are supporting the voluntary relocation of asylum claimants from Ontario.
By March 2027, Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick have committed to welcoming 290 and 400 claimants, respectively. These relocation efforts aim to help support the housing independence of claimants and fill labour market gaps. To date, over 270 claimants have voluntarily relocated to these two provinces.
Both the claimants and the communities that welcome them benefit from relocation: claimants receive appropriate housing and employment opportunities through access to temporary work permits, and communities get the chance to address their short-term labour needs.
Any movement of asylum claimants is voluntary and requires a claimant’s consent. They have the right to live or move anywhere in Canada while awaiting their claim decision.
IRCC Hotels
All hotels for asylum claimants that were directly funded and managed by IRCC were closed as of October 1, 2025.
The government provided temporary accommodations in hotels to 61,000 asylum claimants who were in need of these services, from April 2020 to September 30, 2025.
Since 2020, temporary accommodation costs totaled approximately $1.2B. This amount covers accommodations, meals, security, service providers, and transportation.
In September 2025, the average cost per night per room across all directly-operated interim lodging sites was $116 (down from $132 in April 2025), with an additional $69 per day per claimant for food/meals. The exact cost-per-claimant varied by household composition/number of claimants per room.
Interim Federal Health Program
The Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) provides limited and temporary healthcare coverage to refugees and asylum claimants to help address any urgent and essential medical needs while they wait to become eligible for provincial or territorial health insurance.
Asylum claimants receive IFHP coverage for the duration of the refugee determination process, from the point of making their claim for protection in Canada until they become eligible for provincial or territorial healthcare coverage as a protected person.
In the case of unsuccessful asylum claimants, coverage is provided until their removal orders have been enforced and they have left Canada.
IFHP beneficiaries receive coverage for basic health services, such as hospital care, physician care, and laboratory services, which is aligned with standard provincial and territorial health insurance.
They also receive limited supplemental health services, such as prescription medications, mental health counselling, disability supports, and emergency dental and vision care, on par with the extended health benefits provided by provinces and territories to social assistance recipients.
These benefits are comparable to those offered by provinces and territories so that all similarly-situated low-income residents of Canada have an equivalent level of public health insurance. This consistency helps to support the seamless transition of IFHP beneficiaries onto provincial and territorial health coverage once they are eligible.
By supporting access to this care, the IFHP helps to prevent serious health issues and costly emergency interventions caused by delays in seeking medical services, thereby reducing health system wait times and pressure on hospital services.
The IFHP provides the appropriate level of care.
Key Facts on the Interim Federal Health Program
The IFHP provided healthcare coverage to 623,365 eligible beneficiaries in fiscal year 2024–2025, including 440,537 asylum claimants, with program costs totaling $896.5M.
Total IFHP expenditures in 2024–2025 represent an increase of $306.1M compared to 2023–2024, reflecting higher year-over-year asylum claim volumes.
In 2024-25, 20,000 asylum claimants who used IFHP coverage were failed asylum claimants, meaning that, at the time of receiving health services, they either had a negative decision at the Immigration and Refugee Board or they had a negative appeal decision. This accounted for a total of $53.4M in expenditures, or about 6% of overall program costs, of which $21.6M was for supplemental health benefits.
The overall cost of the IFHP has increased due to sustained growth in the eligible population. Specifically, the number of people supported through the IFHP has increased from 130 340 in 2016–2017 to 623,365 beneficiaries in 2024–2025. Over two-thirds of these beneficiaries are asylum claimants, making them the largest sub-group within the IFHP.
IFHP costs are driven by new intake of asylum claimants each year, as well as the duration of time they spend in the asylum system while waiting for their claims to be processed or their removal to be enforced after exhausting their right to due process.
A network of over 180,000 registered healthcare providers are registered with the IFHP.
If pressed on Budget 2025:
The Government acknowledges the growing costs of the IFHP, which is why Budget 2025 announced that IRCC is introducing co-payments on IFHP supplemental health services and products, which will be paid by beneficiaries directly to their health care providers.
Starting May 1, 2026, IFHP beneficiaries will pay $4 for each eligible prescription medication filled or refilled, and 30% of the cost of all other eligible supplemental services and products. The remainder of the cost of these benefits will be covered by the IFHP.
Basic health care benefits, including doctor visits and hospital care, will remain fully covered with no co-payments required.
This change will help to manage the cost of increased demand and protect the long term sustainability of the program so that the government can continue to provide support to those who need it.
IRCC is working through the necessary steps for implementation of this measure and is engaging stakeholders, including health care providers and refugee and asylum support organizations, to ensure partners are well-informed of the change and what it will mean for IFHP beneficiaries.
Implementation of co-payments is expected to make use of existing infrastructure and is not anticipated to require any additional Government resources.
If pressed on the Parliamentary Budget Officer Report:
The Parliamentary Budget Officer’s report reflects historical growth in IFHP spending driven by past asylum intake.
Recently announced changes, including the introduction of co-payments on May 1, 2026, will reduce this spending and are expected to place the IFHP on a downward cost trajectory starting next fiscal year.
Further reforms included in the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act will continue to improve the asylum system by enabling faster and more efficient decision-making by the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB).
With reforms to the asylum system and the introduction of changes to the IFHP, the cost of health care provided to asylum claimants is expected to stabilize at a sustainable level.
If pressed on level of service to asylum claimants
Asylum claimants in Canada receive a combination of federal supports and provincial/territorial/municipal services.
Eligibility for social services and/or assistance – including those provided to asylum claimants - is set at the respective provincial, territorial, or municipal level, and therefore may vary from province to province or community to community.
Federal supports such as the Interim Housing Assistance Program provide funding to the jurisdictions themselves – on a cost-sharing basis - so that they may support claimants through such locally-administered services.
Other federal supports to jurisdictions are provided through larger transfers, such as the Canada Social Transfer.
