I have heard some people say there are no scholars in North America, but
I don’t quite understand what it means. Could you please shed some light on
this (if you’ve heard such statements). If this is your first time hearing
this, what is your opinion on it?

The definition of a scholar varies. To some, they set an extremely high standard which is likely to make the number of living Muslim scholars less than ten; to others they set a very loose standard which makes every imam of a masjid or preacher a scholar. The scholars differed over this in the past and present, yet I would say that Imam al-Ghazali’s definition of a scholar is a moderate one; he felt a scholar will need to know – among other things – the sciences called tools, such as the language, including grammar and rhetoric, fundamentals of jurisprudence…etc. And will need to know the verses and ahadeeth that pertain to rulings or at least can find them in their respective references.
According to that position, there are several scholars in North America. I certainly wouldn’t be able to give you numbers, and would prefer to not give names.
The fear from extremism on both sides is that if we say there are no scholars in the west, the people will loose respect for their leaders, and in this case, they will follow their own whims or follow scholars oversees, who will get their information through these particular individuals, thus their answers will be influenced by the data they received from them. Each person or group will then argue with one another based on what they heard from their own shaykhs, who may have been able to find a common ground had they met and discussed the matter/s collectively.
This is not to say that we should not benefit from the scholars oversees. Islam doesn’t differentiate between its followers based on national factors, and it will be to the loss and detriment of the Muslim community here to sever their ties with the Muslims in the mainland of Islam.
Yet, there should be a constant communication between the scholars in the west and their shaykhs and/or counterparts in the east. There should also be communication between the public and their counterparts and shaykhs as well. All of this is particularly easy now in the age of the internet.
On the other side of the pendulum, if the people overestimate their leaders’ knowledge, they may listen to and follow unqualified individuals (ignorant leaders, called by the Prophet: “ro’oos johhaal”) .

Allah, guide us all!