Quebec says it is prepared to accept 7,300 Syrian refugees by the end of 2016, outlining its strategy in the wake of Ottawa's announcement that 25,000 Syrians will come to Canada by the end of February.
The province said it will accept 3,650 Syrian refugees before Dec. 31 and another 3,650 in 2016.
Pierre Moreau, the province's acting public security minister, said the plan calls for Ottawa to house new arrivals in federally operated welcome centres before they are relocated to one of 13 communities in Quebec.
"The major operation that is beginning presents huge challenges for Quebec," Moreau told a news conference Wednesday. "The Quebec government is ready, our partners are ready and waiting."
The majority will be staying in the Montreal area, including the nearby cities of Longueuil and Laval.
Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil had already announced in September a plan to accept 3,650 Syrian refugees in 2015, with $29 million being set aside for their arrival and integration.
Weil says the same target has been set for 2016 and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has assured Quebec that additional financial resources would be made available as needed.
The province has already welcomed 800 of this year's target since Jan. 1.
There was no immediate word on when the bulk of the refugees will begin arriving.
Refugees will be flown to Toronto and Montreal, largely on chartered aircraft though the military is also on call to provide airlift every 48 hours if necessary. What it would take to engage them in that role is unclear.
From there, they will be spread across three dozen destination cities which already have resettlement programs in place, including the 13 in Quebec.
Of the 7,300 coming to Quebec, 2,900 will be privately sponsored this year and at least another 2,600 will be privately sponsored in 2016.
"In recent weeks, my department has completed the processing of files to accommodate 2,900 privately sponsored refugees," Weil said.
Moreau said the balance will be sponsored by the province -- 750 in 2015 and the rest next year.
The federal government could ask the province to take on as many as 2,100 additional refugees, meaning the number of displaced Syrians in the province could number 9,400 by the end of 2016.
But Moreau said the province hasn't received any specifics yet from Ottawa for any extra refugees and reiterated Ottawa would need to provide financial assistance in that case.
The federal government has also guaranteed strict security and health screenings for refugees prior to their arrival in Canada, Moreau said.
In Nova Scotia, immigration officials say preparations continue for the arrival of refugees, although the province doesn't know exactly how many it will welcome.
Prince Edward Island says 250 refugees are expected to arrive in that province.
