..."This compassionate country can handle the load; in fact, the number of refugee claims has been higher in other years...."
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Yes we can handle an increase in refugee intake.  Canada is a large and welcoming country.

But as refugee advocates and the government quickly learned during our recent intake from Syria, we also have a finite ability to properly house and accommodate refugees.

Here in metro Vancouver we have a less than one percent rental vacancy rate, severe shortage of  family housing, and all around unaffordable housing.  Six months after arrival many families were still living in temporary motels, and still unable to access ESL classes.

The scenario is not much better in other BC communities such as Victoria and Kelowna. In fact the entire Okanagan corridor is looking at rental challenges  and rapidly escalating housing costs.

Our compassion is going to have to be tempered with common sense.