The federal government announced that Quebecers living near the border where thousands of asylum seekers have crossed into the country since 2017 will be eligible for payments of up to $25,000.

Border Security Minister Bill Blair says life for residents along Roxam Road, which has been the main entry point for migrants entering the country, has been disturbed, and residents deserve to be compensated.

The money is only for those residents in Quebec and does not apply to residents living in Manitoba where there has been a steady stream of border crossers as well, especially in the community of Emerson.

Provencher MP Ted Falk says he has asked minister Blair to include some of the affected residents in his riding as part of that compensation program.

"Because, unlike the Quebec experience, the folks in Emerson-Franklin (municipality) are actually encountering these illegal migrants right at their doors. In the middle of the night, they're banging on their windows and on their doors and they've actually had uncomfortable interactions with many of these illegal migrants. So, they're living in a constant state of anxiety and I would say that they have experienced a lot of frustration and disruption to their normal lives as well."

In his discussion with Blair, Falk said the minister feels the situation in Manitoba is different than the Quebec experience where the migrant traffic has been much heavier, and where RCMP and Canada Border Services personnel have had to enter onto residential property at times.

Roughly 96 percent of all migrants have crossed illegally into Canada through Quebec since 2017.

A total of 16,000 people have crossed the Canada-U.S. border illegally into Quebec through the end of October this year compared to 19,000 last year, according to the federal Immigration Department.

Falk said minister Blair did promise to take a closer look at Manitoba's situation and would consult with Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale on the matter.

"My concern is that people are treated fairly. If there are folks in Quebec that are being compensated for disruption in their lives, we've had the same disruption here in that Emerson to Piney stretch and I think our residents should receive compensation here as well."