A recent Leger poll suggests a significant shift in Canadian sentiment towards immigration, with a large majority expressing concerns about its impact on the housing crisis and health-care system.
This comes just four weeks after the Trudeau Liberals announced they continue to plan on smashing immigration records.
The poll, consisting of 1,529 respondents nationwide, found that about 75% of Canadians believe that increased immigration is straining both the housing market and the health-care system.
Additionally, 63% of respondents feel that the influx of newcomers is adding pressure to the country’s education systems.
However, 63% also see Canada’s immigration policy as beneficial for the workforce and tax base, supporting older generations.
Nonetheless, the survey reveals that the proportion of Canadians wanting the country to welcome more immigrants has decreased from 17% to 9% compared to March 2022. Conversely, those favoring fewer immigrants increased from 39% to 48%.
This change in sentiment comes as Canada experienced significant population growth in 2022, with over a million new people, including a substantial number of non-permanent residents and immigrants.
Trudeau Liberals plan to continue packing in record high numbers
“Canada intends to maintain it’s targeting of welcoming 485,000 thousand new permanent residents in 2024 and 500,000 in 2025,” Immigration Minister Marc Miller said earlier this month, adding, “Starting in 2026 the number of newcomers we aim to welcome will stabilize at 500,000.”
The Immigration Minister acknowledged that increased immigration impacts the pressure on affordable housing. But Miller said the issue “isn’t a linear equation between the numbers coming in and the actual housing needed.”
Trudeau implicated in housing crisis
In September, documents obtained by The Counter Signal reveal that Trudeau was informed by the Secretary of the Cabinet, Janice Charette, that his immigration policy was directly causing the country’s housing affordability crisis.
