Since taking office in 2015, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has increased immigration, adding an estimated 2.5 million new permanent residents and driving the population above 40 million.
Thanks to immigration, Canada's GDP growth has been just over 2%, well above the G7 average of 1.4%. However, a TD report shows new arrivals are now contributing to an overheating economy and straining public services.
The Bank of Canada is struggling to manage the impact of the newcomers, as they add to both supply and demand, increasing the need for higher interest rates.
Immigration has eased the labour shortage and increased consumer spending and housing demand, leading to growing strains on transit, housing, and healthcare.
Municipal and provincial leaders are calling for more funding to address these issues.
#Immigration_to_Canada, #Canadian_population, #population_growth, #newcomers, #TD
July 28, 2023
On July 25, 2023, the Government of Canada made a new update regarding the Afghan refugees arriving in the country.
The last update shows that Canada has accepted 520 Afghan refugees since July 18, 2023. As of now, Canada has welcomed a total of 35,235 Afghan refugees.
Canada received 19,310 Afghans and their families' applications under the Special Immigration Measures Program for Afghans who had assisted the Government of Canada in Afghanistan.
11,150 Afghans arrived in Canada under that program, and 18,245 Afghan nationals came under the Humanitarian program.
In addition, Canada admitted 2,170 applicants under the pathway for extended family members of former interpreters.
#Afghan_refugees, #refugees #IRCC #Afghanistan
July 27, 2023
On July 18, 2023, the Federal Government announced increased support for asylum seekers in Canada due to the rising number of people claiming asylum.
The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Sean Fraser, announced a one-time injection of approximately $212 million in funding into the Interim Housing Assistance Program (IHAP) until March 31, 2024.
This includes roughly $97 million in new allotment for the City of Toronto. The IHAP provides funding on a cost-sharing basis to provinces and municipalities for interim housing for asylum claimants.
Additionally, IRCC has been working with the most impacted provinces and territories to increase the amount of temporary housing, including over 3,800 hotel rooms in six provinces to provide temporary housing to asylum claimants.
#IRCC, #Fraser, #asylum_seekers, #refugees, #investment, #funding
July 24, 2023
As Canada faces an aging population, a new report suggests that the country needs to increase immigration to balance the demographic.
According to the report, the working-age population would have to grow by 2.2% annually through 2040 to maintain the same old-age dependency ratio as in 2022.
To return to the average ratio between 1990 and 2015, the same group would have to grow by 4.5% each year.
While the potential increase in immigration levels has sparked debate over whether the country can handle more newcomers, proponents argue that the labour market can absorb more workers and more working-age Canadians are needed to support the tax base.
Last year, Canada's population grew by over one million people, the fastest rate since 1957.
#Immigration_to_Canada, #Stats, #statistics, #Canadian_population
July 24, 2023
