CIMM – Housing Supports for Asylum Seekers – November 25, 2024

Key Facts and Figures

Through the Interim Housing Assistance Program (IHAP), the federal government provides funding to provincial and municipal governments, to support efforts to address the housing needs of asylum claimants. To date, the government has provided almost $1.1 billion to affected jurisdictions, including $440.9 million to Quebec and $640.2 million to Ontario municipalities.
Budget 2024 provided an additional $1.1 billion in funding over three years, starting in 2024-2025, to extend and renew IHAP.
In addition to funding through IHAP, since 2020 the government has provided temporary accommodations to asylum claimants through federally-funded hotels.
As of October 31, 2024, the Department is directly housing approximately 4,500 claimants, including approximately 60 in Quebec and 4,400 in Ontario.

The government is committed to working collaboratively with all partners to support long-term solutions to addressing the housing needs of asylum claimants.
Through the Interim Housing Assistance Program, the federal government has already provided almost $1.1 billion to jurisdictions since 2017 to support costs associated with housing pressures resulting from increased asylum volumes.
In Budget 2024, the government announced $1.1 billion over three years to extend the program through to 2026-2027, with a renewed focus on sustainable and cost-effective approaches to serving the population.
This builds on the work already underway to launch models like reception centres, as well as enable a more equitable distribution of claimants across the country.
The renewed program also includes the introduction of a new stream of funding to provide direct support to non-profit organizations working to address the interim housing needs of asylum claimants.

As a part of a transition period in 2024-2025, IRCC provided $22 million to Peel Region and $40 million to the City of Ottawa to help them increase their capacity to serve asylum claimants through reception centres. The total amount of IHAP funding available in 2024-2025 (representing $543.4 million), was recently tabled in Parliament as a part of Supplementary Estimates (B).
In recognition of housing and immigration-related challenges caused by the irregular border crossing at Roxham Road between 2021 and 2023, an agreement was reached in June 2024 with the Government of Quebec to provide a total of $750 million in federal funding, a portion of which will be covered by IHAP. This builds on a previous public commitment to provide the province with $150 million through IHAP. While some of this funding will flow through IHAP, the remaining $581.3 million will be delivered through a one-time grant payment, which was recently tabled in Parliament as a part of Supplementary Estimates (B).
In June 2024, a Ministerial Working Group was formed as a part of the Forum of FPT Ministers Responsible for Immigration to explore ways to better manage the flow of asylum claimants, in support of a more equitable distribution of claimants across the country. While the Working Group was unable to reach consensus on a national redistribution model, IRCC continues to work collaboratively with willing provinces/territories to explore opportunities to support the voluntary relocation of claimants.