December 9, 2015 — Ottawa — Government of Canada flights of Syrian refugees will begin this week, with flights landing in Toronto on December 10, and Montreal on December 12. The first two flights will use military aircraft, but chartered flights are expected to be used for subsequent flights in December.
All flights of Syrian refugees will be destined to either Toronto’s Pearson International Airport or Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. These airports and cities have the necessary facilities and services available to process and temporarily accommodate large volumes of passengers over a short time. Approximately 300 privately sponsored Syrian refugees are expected to land in Canada via these two flights.
Upon arrival, the refugees will be welcomed and undergo the final steps for admission by Canada Border Services Officers (BSO) who will confirm their identity using the documentation the refugees received following their immigration processing overseas. All refugees will also be checked for signs of illness when they arrive in Canada, per the Quarantine Act, and treatment will be available if anyone is ill upon arrival. Prior to boarding their flights refugees will have already undergone security screening and completed immigration medical exams.
Refugees whose travel arrangements are complete will continue travelling the following day toward their destination community. For those being met by their sponsors locally in Toronto or Montreal, the sponsors will receive specific information about when and where to meet the new arrivals.
