Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston has firmly rejected a federal government proposal to send nearly 6,000 asylum seekers to the province, citing concerns about capacity and the potential impact on the province’s population growth strategy.
In a statement released on Friday, Houston said, “Nova Scotia does not have the capacity to accept thousands of asylum seekers. We cannot let the failure of federal policies derail our plan for strategic population growth.”
Houston emphasized that his administration has already communicated its stance to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet and warned that any attempt to relocate asylum seekers to Nova Scotia would face opposition.
“My immigration minister will maintain open lines of communication with the federal government, but my position is firm – we are calling on the Trudeau government to drop the idea, listen to Nova Scotians and let us focus on our strategic and sustainable plan that is attracting the professionals, like doctors and nurses, our province needs,” said Houston.
The premier highlighted that Nova Scotia’s population growth plan prioritizes attracting immigrants with skills in high-demand sectors such as healthcare and trades. He urged the federal government to respect the province’s efforts to address these specific shortages.
“Our immigration growth is strategic – focused on filling shortages in healthcare and trades. We must stick to this focused plan, aimed to fill strategic vacancies, and we ask that the federal government respect our plan,” Houston said.
While acknowledging the province’s reputation for compassion, Houston made it clear that the government is unwilling to accommodate the federal request under current conditions. “Nova Scotians are caring, compassionate people, but we will not be taken advantage of by the federal government.”
The statement comes amid ongoing national discussions on the distribution of asylum seekers across Canada, as the federal government continues to manage an increasing number of people seeking refuge in the country.
