The federal government may be downloading the responsibility of housing asylum seekers on municipalities.
Speaking on AM800's Mornings with Mike and Meg, Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens says more information is expected later this week on the issue, but says at this time Windsor is not prepared to take on that load.
Dilkens states that it's now over 1,000 migrants being housed within two Windsor hotels, where their hotel and meals are paid for.
Those seeking asylum have made their way to Canada, and were crossing over in places like Roxham Road in Quebec. It takes about four years to process an application through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and while they wait for their application to be processed they are housed in different hotels throughout the country.
Currently, the federal government is responsible for providing all funding for housing the asylum claimants.
Dilkens says over 1,000 migrants are now in Windsor.
"And there's more troubling aspects that our federal government is trying to put in place that affect the municipality, and we have to be able to deal with that, and the cost of all of this. And so, right now, the federal government is funding the full share, but they're looking to stop doing that and they're looking to municipalities and the province to start paying which is just unconscionable in my mind."
He says even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has admitted they messed up the immigration system.
"Most people would agree that a lot of the mess that we see right now with respect to housing, and health care, is brought on by so many people being allowed in at one time that the system couldn't absorb it. We love immigrants, I'm a product of my dad who was an immigrant to this country, and so it's not about immigration, it's about being able to responsibly manage the system."
He says more information is expected in the coming days.
"Things are still moving on this file, and I hope sensible minds prevail when they look at this. But, honestly, when this came to my desk I looked the person who brought it to me in the eyes and I said, 'you're kidding right? You're actually kidding'."
Dilkens adds that they're trying to consolidate those being housed in the two hotels down to only one.
As of May 7, 2024, there were approximately 743 asylum claimants residing in Windsor with over 430 hotel rooms being used.
The asylum seekers were first transported to Windsor in early 2023.