At what point does the phrase “the more the merrier” ring false? Canada is finding out as it manages immigration levels.
What happened: The federal government is planning to maintain immigration targets — welcoming 500,000 new permanent residents in 2026. After raising immigration targets last year, the move is a pause to the recent pattern of increasing targets at each annual update.
- The news comes one day after the Ministry of Immigration said it would seek to integrate housing, healthcare, and infrastructure into planning immigration levels.
- Quebec, with its independent immigration system, revised its targets and added French-language competency requirements for some temporary foreign workers.
Why it matters: A fear that more newcomers will exacerbate the housing crisis has caused public opinion on immigration to Canada to sway… and drastically. A new survey found that 44% of Canadians agree there is too much immigration, compared to just 27% last year.
- This fear is not unfounded. A TD Economics report found that immigration targets could increase the housing shortage by up to 500,000 homes within two years.
Yes, but: Immigration Minister Marc Miller argues that the number doesn’t account for future permanent residents who are already living in Canada and that the precise number of homes needed “is much more complex and much less linear” than people might assume.
Bottom line: Experts still see immigration as crucial for growth and labour force stability as Canada’s population rapidly ages. However, sentiments could turn more drastically against immigration if the government fails to make any headway on building housing.—QH