(RepublicanDaily.org) – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently admitted that Canada has a problem with its rate of immigration, saying that the country is experiencing a “massive spike in temporary immigration.”
In a recent speech, the Canadian PM, who has historically supportive of progressive immigration policies, now said that the rate that immigrants are entering the country is “far beyond what Canada has been able to absorb.”
Trudeau also noted that in less than a decade the percentage of the population that has been comprised of temporary immigrants has more than doubled, from 3% in 2017 to 7.5% at present.
“That’s [immigration] something that we need to get back under control,” he said, adding that Canada has to take a more “responsible approach” to immigration and that “we want to get those [immigration] numbers down.”
The Canadian PM has also been looking for ways to deal with the country’s housing problem, as well as a waning of support from Canadians for aggressive pro-immigration policies. The large influx of immigrants are what many see as the cause of a sharp rise in housing and rental costs, especially in urban areas, which have left many unable to find suitable housing. Some even become homeless as rental fees become unsustainable. The healthcare sector has also seen a crunch, finding itself with a lack of manpower and resources to deal with the increase in the temporary immigrant population.
Reuters, citing data from polling firm Ekos Research, reported that almost half of Canadians — 44.5% — believe that there are now too many immigrants in the country. Poll respondents cited the increase in the cost of affordable housing as the primary reason for their belief. Rental inflation in Canada has grown to 7.8% in the last quarter of 2023.
Trudeau’s backtracking on immigration policies also come on the heels of the growing popularity of Pierre Poilievre, his rival from the Conservative Party, who is currently leading in opinion polls.
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