The centre features dormitory-style rooms, a gym, a library that doubles as a prayer space, and common lounges. Outside, there are playgrounds and soccer fields surrounded by wire fences. While designed to avoid the punitive feel of traditional detention facilities, it remains a closed environment where detainees cannot leave. CBSA officials emphasize that detention here is not punitive but a measure of last resort to manage flight risks, public safety concerns, or unclear identities.
Despite these efforts, critics argue that detention is still detention. Immigration lawyer Jared Will points out that the inability to leave fundamentally mirrors the experience of being in a jail. Furthermore, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have raised concerns about the treatment of detainees in earlier provincial jails. Starting in 2022, provinces began phasing out agreements to detain migrants in jails, although Ontario has extended its contract until 2025.
High-risk detainees at the holding centre are housed in “wet cells,” stark rooms with plastic beds bolted to the floor. While CBSA officials state these are rarely used, they underscore the centre’s dual nature as a space designed for humane treatment yet equipped to handle security risks. As of CBC’s visit, the Toronto facility housed 66 detainees, though it has a capacity for 205.
Trump’s deportation plans have raised fears of an influx of migrants seeking refuge in Canada, potentially increasing demand for such facilities. CBSA officials say they are prepared, with contingency plans in place. However, crossing into Canada without proper documentation remains challenging. Migrants deemed inadmissible are either detained or returned, and public safety risks are prioritized in decisions to detain.
While alternatives to detention, such as community monitoring programs, are increasingly used—over 13,000 migrants were managed through these programs in November alone—CBSA continues to face criticism. Advocates argue the system lacks fairness, with lengthy delays and limited transparency in cases. Meanwhile, the government is exploring additional measures, such as using federal prisons for high-risk detainees, a move that has drawn criticism for further isolating detainees from their families and legal support.
Canada’s approach to immigration detention highlights the tension between managing border security and upholding human rights, a balancing act that will only grow more critical if migration pressures increase under Trump’s presidency.
