Canada is a parliamentary democracy divided into three parts:

• The Crown: Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state. She is represented by the Governor General, who is appointed based on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.

• The Senate: The Senate is the upper house of the legislature. Members are appointed by recommendation by the General Governor. Legislation in Canada is broken into a federal government, ten provincial governments, and three territorial governments.

• The House of Commons: The House of Commons used a single-member, single-plurality voting system in which elections are held every four years for the 338 constituencies. The Prime Minister is the head of the majority party of the House of Representatives. The current Prime Minister is Justin Trudeau.

• Justin Trudeau: Trudeau was elected to the House of Commons for the first time in 2008, then again in 2011 and 2015. In 2013, he was elected as the head of his party[i], the Liberal Party of Canada[ii]. He and his party won the majority of the seats of the House of Commons on October 19, 2015, and Trudeau was sworn in as Canada’s Prime Minister on November 4. Trudeau is the first Prime Minister to have a cabinet made of equal amounts men and women[iii].

• David Johnston: Johnston is the Governor General of Canada. He was appointed by the Queen on July 8, 2010, according to the former Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s recommendation[iv].

• Queen Elizabeth II: The Queen is the formal head of state, as Canada is a constitutional monarchy, but is represented federally by the Governor General[v]

[i] http://pm.gc.ca/eng/prime-minister-justin-trudeau

[ii] http://www.parl.gc.ca/Parliamentarians/en/members/Justin-Trudeau(58733)

[iii] http://pm.gc.ca/eng/prime-minister-justin-trudeau

[iv] http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=13871&lan=eng

[v] https://www.royal.uk/canada

• Population in 2011: 36,286,425[i] (82% urban, 18% rural[ii])

• Population Density: 4 people per square kilometer[iii]

• Land Area: 9,093,507 square kilometers[iv]

• Estimated Per Capita Income = $78,870[v]

• Estimated Per Capita Income = $78,870[vi]

• Racial Breakdown:

  • White = 73.27%

  • South Asian = 4.77%

  • Chinese = 4.03%

  • Black = 2.88%

  • Filipino = 1.89%

  • Latin American = 1.05%[vii]

• Population Density: 4 people per square kilometer[viii]

• Unemployment Rate (November 2016): 6.8%[ix]

[i] http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/160928/dq160928f-eng.htm?HPA=1&indid=4098-1&indgeo=0

[ii] http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS?locations=CA

[iii] http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.POP.DNST?locations=CA

[iv] http://world.bymap.org/LandArea.html

[v] http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/famil108a-eng.htm

[vi] http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/famil108a-eng.htm

[vii] http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=PR&Code1=01&Data=Count&SearchText=Canada&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&A1=All&B1=All&Custom=&TABID=1

[viii] http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.POP.DNST?locations=CA

[x] http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/lfss01b-eng.htm

-       1978: The Immigration Act came into force, which recognized refugees as their own group of immigrants and was meant to fulfill Canada’s legal duties to the UNHCR. It also created a refugee determination system.

-       1979: 1.5 million left their homes and became refugees during the Southeast Asian refugee crisis. The Canadian government decided to accept 50,000 refugees.

-       1980: Canada launched the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program.

-       1985: The Canadian Supreme Court rendered the Singh decision, which made necessary an oral hearing while determining the status of a refugee.

-       1989: The Immigration Act was modified to create a new determination system. The Immigration and Refugee Board was created.

-       1993: Canada became the first country to create Guidelines of Women Refugee Claimants fearing Gender-related Persecution.

-       2002: The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act came into force[i].

-       2013: The Blended Visa Office-Referred Program was created.[ii].

GAR Program and Joint Assistance Scholarship Program

These programs receive funding from the Resettlement Assistance Program, which receives its money from Citizen and Immigration Canada[i]. This program provides financial support for the first year of a refugee’s time in Canada, as well as essential services during the first month or so after a refugee has arrived.

            The Private Sponsorship of Refugees

This program receives its funding from private sponsors.

            The Blended Visa Office-Referred Program

The Blended Visa Office-Referred Program receives funding from a combination of private sponsors and Citizen and Immigration Canada. Both are required to provide funding for six months, though the private sponsor provides immediate and essential support[ii]. CIC provides funding through the Resettlement Assistance Program[iii]

In the 2014 data, figures between 1 and 4 have been replaced with an asterisk (*). These represent situations where the figures are being kept confidential to protect the anonymity of individuals. Such figures are not included in any totals.

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN                                        # SETTLED 2002-2014

City (# of Refugees Settled since Nov 4, 2015[i]; City Population as of 2011; Refugee Percentage of Total Population)

1.     Toronto (4,285; 2.79 million[ii]; 0.15%)

2.     Vancouver (1,952; 603,502[iii]; 0.32%)

3.     Ottawa (1,829; 870,250[iv]; 0.21%)

4.     Calgary (1,676; 1,363,600[v]; 0.12%)

5.     Edmonton (1,635; 812,201[vi]; 0.2%)

The Government Assisted Refugee Program and Joint Assistance Sponsorship

The Government-Assisted Refugee Program and the Joint Assistance Sponsorship differ only in who supports the settlement of the refugees. The GAR Program has refugees’ settlement supported by the Resettlement Assistance Program[i]. The Resettlement Assistance Program is provided by the government for members of Convention Refugees Abroad Class. This program provides payment for pick-up at the airport or arrival spot, temporary accommodations and the search for permanent accommodations, basic household items, and to help the refugee acclimate to life in Canada. The funds are available only for the refugee’s first year[ii]. Individuals are referred to the GAR Program by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The program is funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and provides health insurance in the form of basic coverage, supplemental coverage, and prescription drug coverage. The Joint Assistance Sponsorship reflects the GAR Program in almost every way, but the refugee’s settlement is supported by private sponsors rather than the Resettlement Assistance Program. The Joint Assistance Sponsorship is available mainly for refugees with special needs who require more support than the GAR Program is able to give.[iii] Government assisted refugees usually take about 19 months to process.

            The Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program

The Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program has less involvement from governmental and international entities. Refugees are recommended by private sponsors. The program is funded exclusively by private sponsors. Refugees are provided with basic health insurance coverage, as well as with “Public Health or Public Safety Prescription Drug Coverage”. This program allows the government to resettle more refugees without increasing costs, as refugees under this program are funded through private expenditures. Since 2014, this program has been resettling more refugees than the GAR Program. Private sponsors can be Sponsorship Agreement Holders, incorporated groups who have agreed with CIC to sponsor refugees, five permanent residents of Canada, and community sponsors. Processing times for privately sponsored refugees is generally between 52-68 months, although refugees from certain countries, the United Arab Emirates, for example, can take as little as ten months.

            The Blended Visa-Office Referred Program

The Blended Visa Office-Referred Program accepts referrals from the UNHCR and is funded in part by CIC and in part by the private sponsor. Each provides six months of support, though the private sponsor is required to fund start-up costs. Settlement support comes solely from private sponsors, and the refugee receives basic health coverage, supplemental health coverage, and prescription drug coverage. This program is the product of an agreement between CIC, private sponsors, and the UNHCR, and has replaced 1,000 GAR Program spots since its creation in 2013.[iv]

            The In-Canada Asylum Program

Canada also provides a refugee protection program for those seeking protection from within Canada[v]. The In-Canada Asylum Program allows people already in Canada to receive asylum, but those with serious criminal records and those who have been denied once before are not able to make a claim.[vi] For protected persons and convention refugees in Canada, the initial assessment usually takes about 9 months, followed by a 10-month period to gain final approval.

[i] http://www.lop.parl.gc.ca/content/lop/ResearchPublications/2015-11-e.html

[ii] http://www.cic.gc.ca/ENGLISH/refugees/outside/index.asp

[iii] http://www.lop.parl.gc.ca/content/lop/ResearchPublications/2015-11-e.html

[iv] http://www.lop.parl.gc.ca/content/lop/ResearchPublications/2015-11-e.html

[v] http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/canada.asp

[vi] http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/canada.asp

Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR)[i]

Established: 1978

Funding: Donations, membership fees, etc

Office location: Montréal, Québec, H2S 2T1

Responsibilities and Functions:

The CCR is an umbrella non-profit that works to promote the rights of refugees. It manages relations with the government and media, as well as with research and education, to advocate for refugees. It also holds conferences and other public events to allow networking.

Leadership & Contacts

Executive Director: Janet Dench

Communication and Membership Coordinator: Damiano Raveenthiran

Settlement Policy Director: Marisa Berry Mendez

The Canadian Refugee Sponsorship Agreement Holders Association[ii]

Established: 2011

Funding: Private sponsors 

Responsibilities and Functions:

This program is a national membership association that acts as a voice for those involved in the Private Sponsorship of Refugee Program

[i] http://ccrweb.ca/en/about-ccr

[ii] http://www.sahassociation.com/