After two decades of Canadians being increasingly supportive of the country’s immigration levels, attitudes towards growing numbers of immigrants to the country began to shift in 2008, a new study shows.
“Between 1988 and 2008, there was a notable 41 per cent decline in Canadians who favoured reducing immigration numbers,” notes Mohsen Javdani, an associate professor of economics at Simon Fraser University’s School of Public Policy and Urban Studies Program.
“Yet, post-2008, this trend shifted, with Canadians who wanted reduced immigration levels rising to 40 per cent by 2019.”
In Canada At A Crossroads: Understanding The Shifting Sands Of Immigration Attitudes, The associate professor claims that Canadians’ opinions on immigration are deeply influenced by aspects like religion, ethnicity, personal and familial immigration history and political leanings.
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“Our research finds, for example, that Christians show the least support for immigration. In contrast, Muslims, the second-largest religious group in Canada after Christians, are the most supportive of immigration. Jewish Canadians, atheists and agnostics also show strong support,” writes Javdani.
“Ethnicity and immigration history also play pivotal roles in shaping our social identity. Our research indicates white people born in Canada exhibit a significantly stronger preference towards decreased immigration compared to white immigrants and ethnic minorities.”
Across the country, Nova Scotians have the most favourable sentiments about immigration and Alberta and Ontario the most negative.
Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, is consistently a magnet for immigration, drawing the biggest chunk of new permanent residents on a regular basis.
In the first five months of this year alone, 88,250 new permanent residents chose to settle in Ontario and 27,800 settled in Alberta.
By comparison, the Atlantic Canadian province of Nova Scotia only welcomed 7,135 new permanent residents during those five months.
The biggest single factor shaping Canadians’ attitudes towards politics, though, is neither their religious beliefs nor their home province but rather their political bent.
“One of our most striking findings is the increasing political polarization over immigration,” writes Javdani.
“Our research has found that since 2006, political party identification has emerged as the foremost factor in explaining Canadians’ differing views on immigration.
“This polarization highlights that immigration is not just a social issue, but also a political tool. It is often framed and politicized seemingly to galvanize party bases rather than address the complexities of immigration and integration.
“Political parties link immigration to pressures on public finances or housing shortages during difficult periods. This amplifies anti-immigration sentiments, even if there’s no direct causation. This tactic also elevates immigration as a focal issue, intertwining it with prevailing concerns and magnifying its perceived negative impact on society.”
The associate professor is sounding the alarm, warning that the changing attitudes towards immigration in Canada are a wakeup call for political leaders, policymakers and the wider community.
“The rise in negative sentiments about immigration, especially amid challenging conditions, could have far-reaching consequences for Canada’s social harmony and economic prosperity,” he writes.
This research showing a downturn in support for high immigration levels in Canada comes in the wake of years of record-breaking immigration.
Canada On Track To Set New Immigration Record This Year
And immigration levels are still rising this year.
After a lacklustre March, monthly immigration spiked by 22 per cent in April and then grew again by 9.3 per cent in May with 46,550 newcomers that month, driving the total number of new permanent residents to the country in the first five months of the year to 210,865, the latest data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveals.
Based on that volume of arrivals, the total number of new permanent residents to Canada this year could hit 530,556 if that trend were to continue for the rest of 2024.
That would be 12.5 per cent more new permanent residents to Canada this year than the 471,815 in 2023 which was a record-breaking year for immigration.
That projected level of immigration would also be far in excess of the 485,000 new permanent residents Canada has indicated it will welcome into the country under its 2024-2026 Immigration Levels Plan.
The projected number of new permanent residents this year would be 9.4 per cent higher than the country’s targeted level of immigration for the year.
Canada operates a two-tier immigration system which allows foreign nationals to gain their permanent residency through the federal Express Entry system’s FSW, FST, and CEC programs and as well as the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) of the 10 Canadian provinces.
