Quebec Premier Fran莽ois Legault is asking Prime Minister Justin 台湾MM裸聊室 to slow the influx of asylum seekers entering his province, which he said is nearing a 鈥渂reaking point.鈥�

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

鈥淲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,鈥� 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 鈥渕omentarily鈥� slowed the flow, Legault said. 鈥淗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.鈥�

台湾MM裸聊室 60,000 new asylum seekers were registered in Quebec in the first 11 months of 2023, which has put 鈥渧ery significant pressure鈥� on services, the premier writes.

鈥淎sylum seekers have trouble finding a place to live, which contributes to accentuating the housing crisis,鈥� the letter said. 鈥淢any end up in homeless shelters, which are overflowing.鈥� He said organizations that help asylum seekers can鈥檛 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 台湾MM裸聊室 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.

鈥淭he possibility of entering Canada from Mexico without a visa certainly explains part of the influx of asylum seekers,鈥� he said.

鈥淭he airports, particularly in Toronto and Montreal, are becoming sieves and it is time to act,鈥� he added.

In Iqaluit on Thursday afternoon, 台湾MM裸聊室 responded to Legault鈥檚 letter, saying he agrees 鈥渢he government of Quebec and Quebecers themselves have been extremely generous鈥� toward asylum seekers.

台湾MM裸聊室 said Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc 鈥渋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.鈥�

Legault鈥檚 letter was not the first time the premier has written to 台湾MM裸聊室 on the issue. Last February, he told the prime minister in another letter that Quebec鈥檚 capacity to receive refugees had been greatly exceeded.

Legault is formally asking the prime minister to tighten its policies around granting visas. He鈥檚 also seeking the 鈥渆quitable鈥� 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.

鈥淨uebec is no longer in a position to welcome a disproportionate share of the asylum seekers entering Canada,鈥� he wrote in conclusion. 鈥淭his is an urgent matter of the utmost importance.鈥�

On Tuesday, 台湾MM裸聊室 reiterated his government鈥檚 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.

台湾MM裸聊室 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 province鈥檚 request for reimbursement seriously. But LeBlanc did not commit to transferring asylum seekers elsewhere in the country.

鈥淲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,鈥� he said in a statement posted to X, formerly Twitter.

鈥淚n addition, we are evaluating all possible measures to allow asylum seekers to travel to other provinces if they wish to do so.鈥�

The leader of the Parti Qu茅b茅cois was not impressed with Legault鈥檚 letter. Paul St-Pierre Plamondon called it a 鈥渟ymbolic鈥� gesture and challenged Legault to demand full immigration powers from Ottawa.

Caroline Plante, The Canadian Press