Canada's Syrian refugee plan: What we know and don't know

Immigration Minister John McCallum will release details today of the Liberal government's plan to resettle 25,000 refugees across the country. Some information has already been leaked, but there are still outstanding questions about how the plan will unfold.

Will the Liberals stick to their year-end goal of 25,000 refugees?

During the election campaign, theLiberals pledged to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of this year. But with only a little over five weeks left in 2015, some have questioned whether the Liberalplan is too ambitious. Some have expressed concerns over whether that manyrefugees can be properly screened and given temporary accommodationin that time.

• Canada's Syrian refugee plan limited to women, children and families
• Tom Mulcair concerned about exclusion of some men in refugee plan
• Cost of Syrian refugee plan pegged at $1.2B over 6 years
• Doctors gear up to care for Syrian refugees

Who will be selected?

The CBC's Rosemary Barton reported that to deal withsecurity concerns,the government's refugee planwill focus on families and not include unaccompanied men seeking asylum. NDP Leader Tom Mulcairhasexpressed concerns and raised questionsover excluding individuals based on gender.

"While security concerns remain of vital importance, will a young man who lost both parents be excluded from Canada's refugee program?" askedMulcair. "Will a gay man who is escaping persecution be excluded? Will a widower who is fleeing [ISIS]after having seen his family killed be excluded?"

McCallumis expected to provide more details on who will be included orexcluded.

What is theirinitial destination?

As many as 900 refugees a day are expected to arrive from Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon. Thevast majority of them will arrive in Toronto,Montreal and Edmonton, but the details are still unknown. And it's also unclearhow they will arrive via commercial flights, military planesor bycruise ships.

Most of the newcomerswill initially be housed in military bases,which have been preparingfor their arrival. Other kinds of housing will also be used, including hotels and abandoned hospitals.

A spokeswoman with theDepartment of National Defence told CBC News last weekthat the Armed Forces are currently planning on providing interim lodging at bases in Quebec and Ontario as a priority. But other bases and locations may be used if requested by the government.

CFB Trenton in Ontario is expected tobecome home to 1,000 refugees andCFB Valcartier in Quebec will take in 500.

• Syrian refugees pose low risk, but no reason to rush process, experts say
• Refugees to be temporarily housed at military sites in Quebec, Ontario

The military is also making plans to winterize some ofits training bases to accommodate refugees and ismoving Canadian Forces members who are in military bases in Quebec and Edmonton on temporary assignments to other wings or rental units to free up space

Where will they be resettled?

Generally speaking, when refugees are settled in Canada, in most cases they've gone to cities, but they alsohave gone to other areas of the country, said Dan Hiebert, a University of British Columbiageography professor who specializes in international migration.

"We don'tyet know what [the government's] geographical strategy is going to look like," Hiebert said.

Some of the provinces are concerned that the refugees will decide tosettle in the big cities, rather than go to regions that need families and people with skills.

Toronto Mayor John Tory said that hiscity mightreceivesomewhere between 2,000 to 2,500 refugees. ButTory said he still doesn't know where the new arrivals will live. The big city mayors spoke with McCallum on Monday, but Tory saidthere was only a "peripheral" discussion about the temporary housing available, the Toronto Star reported.

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard said his government has alreadyset aside funds for 3,600 people, butif the province isexpected to take in a larger number, more money will be required.

What are the costs?

According to a government document obtained by The Canadian Press, the cost of the Liberal government's planhas been pegged at $1.2 billion over the next six years. Of that,$876.7 million would be needed in 2015-16 alone.The Liberal platform only earmarked $100 million for refugee resettlement this year.

On top of the logistical costs of getting that many people intoCanada are the millions more it is going to require to look aftertheir housing, health, education and integration requirements. It is still unknown what costs thecities will have to bear and what financialassistance Ottawamight provide.

"Premiers and mayors are justifiably wondering how the federalgovernment is going to pay for it," said Mulcair.

What is the screening process?

The government has provided few detailsaboutthe security screening.Canadian Security Intelligence Service director Michel Coulombesaid last week thatCSIS was involved in planning the screening of Syrian refugees and that"the measures in place are robust."

The refugees will have been pre-vetted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees whichlooksfor those who are deemed less risky women, children andthose who may have sustained injuries from the conflict.

But most importantly, anyone who could raise security markers, is associated withanyjihadi groups or involved directly in the conflict, would be rejected. Last week,Public Safety MinisterRalph Goodale said Canadian officials willconductscreeningson top of what the United Nations is already doing.