Advertisement

B.C. extends immigration detention deal with border agency for 3 months

Minister of Public Safety Mike Farnworth speaks during a news conference in Victoria, B.C., on Friday, April 28, 2023. British Columbia has agreed to give Canada's border agency more time to come up with an alternative to holding immigration detainees in the province's correctional centres, almost a year after the decision to end the practice. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

British Columbia has agreed to give Canada’s border agency more time to come up with an alternative to holding immigration detainees in the province’s correctional centres, almost a year after the decision to end the practice.

BC Corrections gave 12 months’ notice last July to the Canada Border Services Agency that it would stop the arrangement, which Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said did not align with the provincial government’s commitment to human rights, social justice and equity.

Click to play video: 'Detainee dies in Surrey immigration detention centre'
Detainee dies in Surrey immigration detention centre

Farnworth has now approved a “one-time” three-month extension of the deal until the end of October at the request of federal Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, on the condition that no new detainees will be accepted after July 31.

Story continues below advertisement

The B.C. Public Safety Ministry says in a news release that all immigration detainees will be transferred from provincial jails to the border agency’s custody on Nov. 1.

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

It says there are currently 12 immigration detainees in BC Corrections custody.

B.C.’s decision to end the practice of holding immigration detainees in its correctional institutions had a domino effect, with New Brunswick, Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Nova Scotia all moving to end similar contracts with the CBSA.

Sponsored content

AdChoices