Public skeptical over Canada's high immigration quotas: Government report

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OTTAWA — Focus groups struck to gauge public sentiment on the federal government’s immigration policy reacted negatively to high immigration quotas.

The public opinion panels, commissioned by the Privy Council Office and facilitated by Toronto pollster The Strategic Council showed most respondents reacted negatively to Canada’s mass immigration policies, according to reports published in Blacklock’s Reporter.

“On balance it was widely felt the rate of immigration had been exceptionally high in recent years and there was currently not enough housing, jobs and other resources available in Canadian communities to meet the economic and social needs of newcomers,” read a report on the findings, adding that nearly all participants described the policies in “negative terms.”

High immigration quotas were touted by cabinet as the only means to both fill job vacancies and finance social programs, with then-Immigration Minister Sean Fraser remarking during a 2022 House of Commons immigration committee meeting that high immigration was the key to Canada’s economic success. 

The focus groups were conducted between December 2022 and January 2023 and formed the basis of of a Privy Council Officer report entitled Continuous Qualitative Data Collection Of Canadians’ Views.

“Many viewed attracting immigrants to address labour shortages as being a reactive, short-term solution and felt a greater emphasis should instead have been placed on getting more Canadians back to work,” the report stated.