Vancouver City Council vote calls on BC to end immigration detention

Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) was using provincial jails to lock up people seeking asylum.

According to campaign organizers, between April 2019 and March 2020, almost 9,000 people were in immigration detention in Canada, including 138 infants and children. Since 2000, at least 16 people have lost their lives in these detention centres. "They experience the same measures of incarceration that anyone convicted under the Criminal Code would experience, down to the attire, down to solitary confinement, restricted access to loved ones, to legal counsel ... It's extremely unfair," Selanders said.

By passing this motion, Vancouver becomes the first municipality in Canada to send a clear message to a provincial government to end its agreement with CBSA, which allows for the incarceration of migrants and refugee claimants in provincial jails.

The coalition hopes that BC’s government considers this motion as part of its review of the provincial agreement with CBSA and cancels the contract.

Thank you to the following collective organizations for making this possible.

Read referenced article by CBC News
Read West Coast Leaf’s press release