New Brunswick could handle 1,500 Syrian refugees

New Brunswick could accommodate 1,500 Syrian refugees out of the federal government's goal of resettling 25,000, according to a Liberal cabinet minister.

Francine Landry, the New Brunswick's minister for the population growth secretariat, met with the media on Friday to discuss the province's plans to resettle Syrian refugees.

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"Welcoming Syrian refugees fleeing a war-torn country is the right thing to do and is a priority for our government," Landry said in a statement.

The precise number of refugees is still in flux, but Landry said the provincial government is looking at how much it can handle.

"I think the number of 1,500 would be a good number to reach out. But it can be more, it can be less," she said.

"It depends on how much interest will be in the communities."

The provincial government has formed a working group, which includes representatives from the departments of Health, Social Development, Education and Early Childhood Development, Public Safety, Environment and Local Government, Transportation and Service New Brunswick.

Landry spoke with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister John McCallum on Friday about the federal government's plan to resettle the refugees.

The federal government has not released its resettlement plan, but an announcement is expected soon. Landry said the federal government will be responsible for much of the resettlement costs in the first year.

Landry said refugee identification and admission is a federal responsibility, but the provincial government will do its best to integrate refugees into the province.

​She said Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown will be the main processing centre, but not all of the Syrians, who arrive in New Brunswick, will stay in the province.

However, Landry said a side benefit to welcoming so many refugees is that they could settle permanently in the province and boost the stagnant population.

She said the refugees could also add to the provincial economy in the long term.

"These people will contribute to all the communities in New Brunswick, because they will become consumers, they will build houses, they will buy cars, they will buy groceries and they will contribute to the economy," she said.

Work started last week at Base Gagetown to potentially house Syrian refugees at Camp Argonaut. The site was used to house hundreds of Kosovar refugees in 1999.

Private contractors were at Camp Argonaut installing and repairing windows, doors, and doing general maintenance.

Multicultural organizations are moving quickly to put in place support networks with the refugees coming to the province before the end of the year.

There are also local meetings being held across the province to inform people about what they can do to help the refugees.