Canadian opposition to the massive influx of new immigrants continues to grow

The results of a new survey show that over the past year, the number of Canadians who oppose the policy of massive absorption of new immigrants has increased significantly. The result of the Environics Institute study shows that 44% of Canadians now think that the level of immigration is excessive. Meanwhile, this figure was about 27% in 2022. It seems that increasing concerns about housing prices, high inflation, rising interest rates and other economic problems that are partially the result of rapid population growth are among the main reasons for this increase in opposition. In the past year, Canada‘s population increased by 1.2 million people to more than 40 million people, which is the highest increase since 1957. A significant part of these newcomers are international students and work visa holders. According to the plan, the Trudeau government plans to attract 500,000 immigrants annually until 2025, but some believe that this goal should be reduced due to the challenges of integration. The survey shows that the biggest decline in immigration support was in the two provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. Two-thirds of Conservative Party supporters believed that immigration is excessive, compared to only 29% of Liberal Party supporters. However, about three-quarters agreed that immigration has a positive economic impact overall. This is despite the fact that this figure was 85% last year. Some experts say that the high capacity to absorb immigrants no longer has the same positive effect on the macroeconomic indicators of the country. Serious challenges in the field of providing housing for new immigrants and their integration into Canadian society are among the most important issues that must be solved as soon as possible.