Almost 96 per cent of asylum seekers who have crossed illegally into Canada so far in 2018 have done so through the Quebec border.
READ MORE: Parti Québécois calls on Trudeau to tweet that asylum seekers get no free pass
The RCMP’s latest figures on the number of illegal border crossers indicate 7,612 people entered the country outside official ports of entry during the first four months of 2018.
More than 7,300 of them have entered Quebec, while Ontario and British Columbia received the remainder, about 150 asylum seekers each, so far in 2018.
WATCH BELOW: Growing number of asylum seekers putting pressure on Quebec resources
Quebec leaders have urged the federal government to help pay costs associated with the over-representation of asylum seekers in the province.
READ MORE: Over 26,000 people have crossed the border illegally since last year, but only 1% have been removed
The province’s official opposition has called on Ottawa to suspend an agreement with the United States that it says encourages would-be refugees to enter outside official border crossings.
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said earlier this month his government was in exploratory talks with the U.S. to reopen the so-called Safe Third Country Agreement.
READ MORE: Feds ordering tents for the border in anticipation of more migrants
The agreement allows both countries to turn back asylum seekers at border crossings except when they enter through an illegal point of entry.
READ MORE: PQ Leader Jean-Francois Lisee wants to build a fence near Quebec-New York border
In recent months, the number of new arrivals has increased dramatically from 2017, with many would-be refugees coming from Nigeria after spending only short periods of time in the United States before boarding buses destined for the border.
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