Backgrounder - More Support for Resettled Refugees

Since World War II, Canada has provided refuge to over one million people from all over the world. In 2008, the latest year for which statistics are currently available, Canada was second among all industrialized countries in providing protection to refugees abroad and domestically.

There are an estimated 10.5 million UN-designated refugees in the world today. These refugees have been found by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to be refugees under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees–persecuted on the basis of their race, ethnicity, religion, social group or political opinion.

Millions of these refugees live in camps while millions more live in desperate conditions outside of camps. Regardless of whether they are in camps or cities, most have been living in these conditions for well over 5 years–with fully one-third having been forcibly displaced from their homes and countries for more than a decade.

Globally, countries with resettlement programs resettle about 100,000 refugees from abroad each year. Of that number, Canada resettles 10,000 to 12,000 annually, or one out of every 10 refugees resettled globally, through its government-assisted and privately sponsored refugee programs. In 2009, more than 12,400 refugees were resettled and Canada granted protection to more than 11,100 asylum claimants.

Helping refugees in desperate circumstances is part of Canada’s proud humanitarian tradition. As Abraham Abraham, the UNHCR’s Canadian representative has said, "Canada has always played an important international role in alleviating and finding solutions to the plight of refugees worldwide. "

The proposed changes would allow the government to increase the number of refugees brought into Canada from overseas.

Over the next two years, the Government of Canada would be able to increase the number of refugees resettled from abroad by 2,500. The Government-Assisted Refugees Program, under which the UNHCR refers refugees to Canada for resettlement, would be expanded by 500 refugees. In addition, a further 2,000 resettlement places would be added to the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program. These increases would bring the number of refugees resettled annually to as many as 14,500.

The proposed changes would also allow the Government of Canada to increase the funding for resettlement assistance from about $45 million to $54 million, the first permanent funding increase for the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) in over 10 years. This would allow income support rates to reflect increases in the cost of living while at the same time ensuring sustained funding for immediate and essential services and needs.

Refugees selected for resettlement to Canada have often fled their homes because of unimaginable hardship and have in many cases been forced to live in refugee camps for many years. When they arrive in Canada, they essentially pick up the pieces of their lives and start over again in a country very different from their own.

In keeping with Canada’s proud humanitarian and compassionate traditions, individuals and families selected under the government-assisted refugees program are provided with immediate and essential services and income support under RAP to assist in helping them become established in Canada. The amount of monthly income support provided to government-assisted refugees is based on prevailing provincial social assistance rates and provides the minimum amount required to cover only the most basic food and shelter needs until the refugees are able to become self-sufficient.

This support is normally available for up to one year but may extend up to two years for refugees with special needs.

Providing such support for resettled refugees clearly demonstrates Canada’s ongoing humanitarian and compassionate commitment and affirms our long-standing tradition as a leader in international refugee protection and helping some of the world’s most vulnerable people.