Canada's Immigration Support Drops to Its Lowest Level in Decades
Canadians haven't been this opposed to immigration levels in a quarter century, a shift in sentiment in a society that used to welcome newcomers but has been unsettled by a post-pandemic influx.
Canadians haven't been this opposed to immigration levels in a quarter century, a shift in sentiment in a society that used to welcome newcomers but has been unsettled by a post-pandemic influx.According to the nation's longest-running survey on the subject, conducted by the Environics Institute, over six out of ten individuals now agree that "there is too much immigration to Canada." For the first time since 1998, an overwhelming majority has this perspective, which is a major shift from the mostly positive sentiment of the previous 20 years.For the second year in a row, the percentage of Canadians who oppose the number of new entrants has increased, indicating a further decline in popular support for immigration. It is the fastest change over a two-year period since the survey's inception in 1977, with a 31 percentage-point increase since 2022.Record population growth worsened housing shortages, increased rent costs, taxed public services, and raised the unemployment rate. It's like adding all of San Diego's citizens to a nation that's marginally more populated than California in less than a year. These forces posed a challenge to the long-held notion that Canada has an advantage in the global competition to replace aged laborers due to large immigration.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's administration has limited the number of international students it admits, curtailed the use of foreign workers, and established a target to significantly reduce the number of temporary residents in response to mounting allegations that it has lost control over immigration. However, according to the survey results, the measures made thus far have not been able to stop the sharp decline in support for immigration that started last year. “The increase in immigration is accompanied at a time when people are feeling less comfortable with their own financial situation and the fact that you have an unpopular government responsible for an issue that people are becoming more nervous about simply reduces confidence. That combination of factors isn’t something we’ve really seen before,” Keith Neuman, the author of the Environics report, said in an interview.There is a growing consensus in Canada across major federal political party lines, generational groups, and provinces that immigration numbers are excessive. Canadians who believe that immigration is excessive most frequently cite housing difficulties, a faltering economy, overcrowding, and inadequate government management. The belief that immigration strengthens the Canadian economy has been a major factor in public support for immigration in Canada. But according to the survey, that belief is diminishing. The number of Canadians who believe immigration boosts the economy has fallen from over 80% two years ago to less than seven out of ten now, marking the second consecutive annual decline.
