In light of growing concerns about economic matters and their impact, the number of Canadians who hold a negative view of immigration's effect on the country has seen a significant increase, according to a survey conducted by the Environics Institute for Survey Research and Century Initiative.
The survey, which was published on Monday, revealed that 44 percent of Canadians believe that "there is too much immigration to Canada." This figure marks a 17 percent increase from the previous year, making it "the largest one-year change ever recorded on this question."
The growing unease surrounding the impact of immigration is evident in the responses of more than four in ten Canadians who either strongly (23%) or somewhat (21%) agree with the statement, "There is too much immigration to Canada." This marks a notable increase of 17 percentage points from the previous year, underscoring the significant shift in public opinion.
However, those who express satisfaction with the current level of immigration still form the majority, accounting for 51% of respondents.
The survey, conducted on 2,002 Canadians between September 4 and 17, also highlights the fact that 38 percent of Canadians believe that immigration plays a role in the growing housing crisis in the country. The report notes that those in agreement with this statement are most likely to express concerns that newcomers may be contributing to the current housing crisis, with 38% of this group attributing the housing issues to immigration, a noticeable increase from the 15% recorded in 2022.
Despite these concerns, a substantial majority of respondents still believe that immigration positively impacts the Canadian economy. The survey shows that a strong majority of Canadians continue to strongly (36%) or somewhat (38%) agree that "immigration has a positive impact on the economy of Canada." However, this proportion has seen an 11-point decline over the past year, marking its lowest level since 1998.
The survey also highlights that Canada's population has surpassed 40 million in 2023, with an increase of more than one million in 2022, with 96 percent of this growth attributed to international migration.
