Key Takeaways:
- Canadians’ attitudes toward immigration have shifted negatively, with 58% of respondents in 2024 agreeing that there is too much immigration into Canada.
- Young people, particularly those aged 18-29, are driving this negative shift, citing the affordability crisis and housing shortage as major concerns.
- The number of permanent resident admissions and temporary residents has reached record highs, contributing to the perception that immigration is too high.
- The affordability crisis, inflationary pressure, and deliberate policy changes during the pandemic have shaped public discourse and contributed to the negative shift in attitudes toward immigration.
- Surveys have found that Canadians tend to think immigration levels are too high, with nearly three-quarters of respondents supporting reducing the number of new immigrants.
Introduction to the Shift in Attitudes
The recent Environics survey results have revealed a significant shift in Canadians’ attitudes toward immigration, with a notable increase in negative sentiment. After more than two decades of mostly pro-immigration sentiment, the survey found that 58% of respondents in 2024 agreed that there is too much immigration into Canada. This shift is particularly driven by young people, who are linking high migrant inflows to the affordability crisis and housing shortage. The Institute for Research on Public Policy’s report, based on 26 surveys produced by the Environics Institute between 1981 and 2024, provides a historical analysis of immigration attitudes in Canada, highlighting the sudden and dramatic change in sentiment toward immigration in recent years.
Historical Context of Immigration Attitudes
The Environics surveys posed a statement to respondents: "Overall, there is too much immigration into Canada," with response options ranging from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree." The data collected show that there was a spike in opposition to immigration in the mid-1990s, followed by a 20-year period of improvement, where most people were supportive of immigration to Canada. However, starting in 2023, there was a substantial increase in the percentage of respondents who agreed that there was too much immigration into Canada. This shift is significant, as attitudes about immigration in Canada are typically stable, with only two notable spikes since the late 1970s.
Demographic Changes in Attitudes
The study also revealed a change in the age group of Canadians who think there is too much immigration. Up until 2023, those aged 45 and over were more likely to view immigration negatively. However, in 2023 and 2024, those aged between 18 to 29 showed the most opposition to immigration, with roughly a third of people surveyed in this demographic strongly agreeing that there was too much. Researchers believe that young people, who are disproportionately affected by the cost of housing, are reacting the most strongly to immigration. Additionally, there was a substantial change in the gender of people who viewed immigration negatively, with women having been slightly more likely than men to think there was too much immigration in previous decades, but that gender gap reversed in 2022.
Factors Contributing to the Shift
The growth in immigrant numbers took place amid an affordability crisis in Canada, which spawned from inflationary pressure as the country emerged from the pandemic. Major institutions, such as the Bank of Canada, as well as federal and provincial opposition parties, linked immigration-driven population growth to rising rental prices and a housing shortage. Deliberate policy changes during the pandemic also incentivized the growth of foreign workers and students, contributing to the record-high numbers of permanent resident admissions and temporary residents. These factors have shaped public discourse and contributed to the negative shift in attitudes toward immigration.
Implications of the Shift
The negative shift in attitudes toward immigration has significant implications for Canada’s immigration policies and public discourse. Surveys have found that Canadians tend to think immigration levels are too high, with nearly three-quarters of respondents supporting reducing the number of new immigrants. The Abacus Data survey found that a third of voters surveyed in September said immigration was one of their top three concerns. These findings suggest that the government may need to reassess its immigration policies and consider the concerns of Canadians, particularly young people, who are driving the negative shift in attitudes toward immigration. Ultimately, understanding the factors contributing to this shift and addressing the concerns of Canadians will be crucial in shaping a more inclusive and effective immigration policy.
