OTTAWA —
Canada announced Thursday that it would sharply reduce its immigration targets in an effort to “pause population growth,” a change that comes as public support for immigration declines.
The announcement comes after Canada’s population soared to 41 million people. This increase was primarily driven by an unprecedented wave of new immigrants.
The Ministry of Immigration had previously planned to settle 500,000 new permanent residents in the country in 2025 and 2026.
However, the new target has been revised downward to 395,000 people next year, 380,000 people in 2026, and the target for 2027 has been set at 365,000 people.
The Ministry of Immigration said the plan’s goal is to “halt population growth in the short term in order to achieve well-managed sustainable growth in the long term.”
“While it is clear that our economy needs new entrants, the pressures facing our country are clear and we must adapt our policies accordingly,” Immigration Minister Mark Miller said in a statement. Ta.
The ministry said the plan also aims to ease pressure on housing, with Canadians consistently citing the cost of renting or owning a home as their top concern.
The ministry credited the surge in immigration for allowing Canada’s economy to emerge from the coronavirus pandemic without falling into recession.
A survey conducted by the Environmental Institute last month on public attitudes toward immigration found that “for the first time in a quarter of a century, a clear majority of Canadians say there are too many immigrants.”
The survey found that 58 per cent of Canadians believe Canada is accepting too many immigrants, an increase of 14 percentage points from 2023.
