Question Period Note: 2021-22 Supplementary Estimates (A)

Tabling of the 2021-22 Supplementary Estimates (A)

• Canadians and the parliamentarians who represent them have the right to know how public funds are being spent, and to hold the government to account.

• The 2021-22 Supplementary Estimates (A) include voted authorities of $24.5M for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to re-profile lapsed funding from the previous fiscal year for Interim Lodging Services (ILS), a component of the Enhancing the Integrity of Canada’s Borders and Asylum System initiative announced in Budget 2019.

• Taking into account spending authorities reflected in 2021-22 Main Estimates, IRCC’s financial authorities for 2021-22 will increase to $3.3 billion.

• Supply for these Supplementary Estimates, along with the full supply bill for the 2021-22 Main Estimates are anticipated by the end of June 2021.

• The Department’s vote structure includes operating expenditures in Vote 1, capital expenditures in Vote 5, and grants and contributions in Vote 10.

• The 2020-21 Supplementary Estimates (A) include funding totaling $24.5M attributable to ILS in Vote 1.

DETAILS:

Funding included in these Supplementary Estimates is comprised of the following item:

1. Funding for Interim Lodging Services (ILS), a component of the Enhancing the Integrity of Canada’s Borders and Asylum System initiative – Reprofile of $24.5M

   Vote 1 – Operating Expenditures
   2021-22 Main Estimates – 0 million dollars
   2021-22 Supplementary Estimates (A) – 24.5 million dollars
   2021-22 Total – 24.5 million dollars

• This amount of $24.5M is for Interim Lodging Services (ILS), a component of the Enhancing the Integrity of Canada’s Borders and Asylum System initiative announced in Budget 2019. This amount is not new funding, it is a reprofile of lapsed funding from the previous fiscal year due to low volumes of asylum seekers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The ILS funding serves to provide temporary housing to asylum seekers who lack a fixed address and whose immediate accommodation needs cannot be addressed by a province or municipality in case of an anticipated spike in irregular migration.

• This request is to mitigate financial risks associated with potential surges of asylum seekers and increased requirements as a result of quarantine measures. In the COVID-19 context, IRCC can be expected to continue providing temporary accommodations for asymptomatic asylum seekers who do not have alternate means to quarantine.

Supply / Full Supply

• Supply for these Supplementary Estimates, along with the full supply bill for the 2021-22 Main Estimates are anticipated by end of June 2021.

• IRCC’s 2021-22 Main Estimates include $3.0 billion in Voted Appropriations and $252.9M in Statutory Forecasts.

o Interim supply granted in March 2021 was equivalent to $1.0 billion (4/12th)
o Full supply to be granted in June 2021 will be equivalent to $2.0 billion (8/12th)

None