In a query raised by Conservative MP Lianne Rood, the Liberal government admitted that taxpayers were paying $224 per day for the sustenance and accommodation of certain individuals seeking asylum who have unlawfully entered Canada.

Rood published the government response on social media detailing the funds Ottawa has set aside for “goods and services” for asylum seekers who are still awaiting immigration review.

The figures indicate that the average daily cost for accommodation is $140 per room, with an additional $84 set aside for food per person, leading to a total daily expenditure of $224 per person.

“The NDP-Liberal government is giving ten times the benefits to illegal border jumpers than it is giving to help Canadian seniors! Disgraceful!” Rood commented on X.

This information has come to light during a period of increased refugee claims in Canada, with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada reporting 156,032 cases being processed.

Not all claimants are housed within IRCC-managed facilities, but the significant numbers highlight the issues brought about by the influx of asylum seekers.

In response to the rising need for temporary housing, the Liberals launched the Interim Housing Assistance Program, which provides shelter to the growing number of asylum seekers.

As of November, Ottawa funded temporary accommodation for 7,000 people across Canada, using 3,800 rooms costing taxpayers $557 million per year.

Rood’s query was specifically aimed at a group of asylum seekers whom the governments call “irregular border crossers,” which refers to those who illegally crossed the border into Canada to claim asylum.

According to IRCC data, the number of pending cases by illegal border crossers reached 42,387 by the end of last year, with a significant increase of 2,145 claims by year-end.

Despite the shutdown of Roxham Road, a frequently used illegal border crossing point into Quebec, in March 2023, the influx of asylum seekers has continued, raising questions about the ability of immigration authorities to process claims efficiently.

Over the years, IRCC data shows that while 39,643 illegal border crossers have received official refugee status, 22,611 claims were denied, withdrawn, or abandoned.