TORONTO - The West Coast isn't the only part of Canada that's experiencing a refugee influx. A group of Tibetans has asked for refugee status in southern Ontario.

On Friday 40 Tibetans simply showed up at a downtown shelter and claimed to be refugees. One would-be refugee told CBC News he came to Canada because "you'll be accepted."

How did they get here? They simply crossed the border from the United States.

They had all the right paperwork thanks to an American refugee agency that escorted them to the Fort Erie, Ontario, checkpoint.

It has all the makings of a trend.

According to Immigration Canada, 53 Tibetans crossed into Canada from the United States in July. In the past two weeks, 123 more came across.

One reason given by some of the Tibetans for the sudden influx is that they've heard a rumour Canada is planning to toughen its immigration policy in the fall.