A year ago, Canada closed the Roxham Road border crossing on the Québec/New York border following the surprise announcement to modify Canada’s Safe Third Country Agreement with the United States to “better manage access to the refugee system.”

Today in The Conversation Canada, Christina Clark-Kazak of the University of Ottawa takes a pulse check on what’s happened since the closure in terms of refugee claims and the fate of those arriving in Canada to try to start a better life.

Far from improving access to the system, she writes, there’s been a dramatic increase in refugee claims, deaths at irregular crossings and soaring homelessness for refugee claimants across Canada.

Clark-Kazak and her co-author, Allan Reesor-McDowell — executive director of Matthew House in Ottawa — outline three key ways for governments to tackle this growing problem and ensure refugee claimants across Canada are offered support, including transitional housing.

Also today:

All the best,

Lee-Anne Goodman

Politics Editor
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