WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Specifically, the Canadian government will invest in ways to improve conditions at holding centers "to better align with international and domestic standards for immigration detention" and reduce the reliance on provincial correctional facilities, the CBSA explained.
"Government of Canada will improve infrastructure and expand the availability of alternatives to detention," the post stated.
The CBSA operates three immigration holding centers located in Toronto, Ontario; Vancouver, British Columbia and Laval, Quebec. All three need significant upgrades, according to the CBSA.
The agency noted that none of the federal centers offer access to Immigration and Refugee Board hearings. Additionally, the Toronto facility is not designed to hold people who present a higher risk profile.
Moreover, detainees at the Vancouver center, located at the international airport, do not have access to educational programming or on-site healthcare providers.
Under Canadian law, people detained under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act may be detained in federal immigration holding centers or in provincial facilities.
