MONTREAL – A second federal government planeload of Syrian refugees arrived in Montreal Saturday night.

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard was on hand along with a number of federal cabinet ministers to greet the refugees.

Couillard told some of the volunteers on hand to help the refugees during their first hours in Canada that he was very proud of them.

He says he is taking a particular interest in the refugee arrival because he and his wife will be sponsoring a Syrian family due to arrive early next year.

The arrival comes less than 48 hours after a government aircraft brought 163 refugees to Toronto.

More than 400 refugees have arrived by commercial flights since the federal Liberals took power last month, but the refugees arriving in the past two days are the first to be brought by government aircraft.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne greeted the refugees as they arrived in Toronto in the early hours of Friday morning.

The federal government plans to bring 25,000 Syrians to Canada by the end of February.