Overview of the Poll Findings

Recent findings from a CityNews poll reveal that a significant number of residents in Canada’s major cities—Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver—support keeping immigration accessible. However, the survey illustrates a surprising twist: nearly half of those polled favor lowering the number of immigrants allowed into the country over the next two years.

Public Sentiment on Immigration Applications

The poll, executed by Maru Public Opinion, discovered that 22% of respondents advocate for an outright halt to new immigration applications for the foreseeable future. This sentiment indicates a rising anxiety surrounding the implications of immigration on local economies and resources.

Perceptions of Immigrants' Contributions

Interestingly, the perception of immigrants' contributions varies greatly across these cities. In Vancouver, 54% of residents felt that newcomers positively impact their community, while sentiments were somewhat less favorable in Toronto and Calgary, where 49% shared this view, and Edmonton, where 48% confirmed it.

Prioritization of Immigration Streams

The survey participants expressed varied opinions on prioritizing specific immigration streams. Currently, five categories are open for residency consideration: economic immigrants, sponsored family class, international students, temporary foreign workers, and refugees/protected persons. Approximately 45% of respondents across the cities believe Canada should maintain applicants from all streams but at a reduced capacity.

Preferences Among Immigration Categories

When it comes to preference, international students emerged as the top priority for 49% of residents, closely followed by refugees at 47%. Interestingly, support for temporary foreign workers and sponsored family class immigrants hovered around 45%, with economic immigrants trailing behind.

Support for Current Immigration Intake Levels

In a contrasting view, 23% of those surveyed advocated for maintaining the current immigration intake levels, favoring sponsored families first, then economic immigrants. Meanwhile, only 10% expressed a desire for increased immigration overall, designating economic immigrants as their priority.

Concerns for Specific Immigrant Categories

Alarmingly, 22% of respondents believe Canada should impose a ban on several categories of immigrants for the foreseeable future, with a majority of that group targeting refugees and protected persons (28%), then temporary foreign workers, international students, and families.

Government's Response to Sentiments

The Canadian Liberal government, responding to these sentiments, has introduced tighter regulations to reduce the influx of low-wage temporary foreign workers. This decision comes against the backdrop of a staggering rise in temporary foreign worker permits, which jumped to 183,820 in 2023 compared to only 98,025 in 2019—an increase of a remarkable 88%.

Conclusion

The striking poll results, gathered from a random selection of 1,801 participants from August 29 to September 6, 2024, highlight an evolving debate on immigration in Canada. With the estimated margin of error being ±4.4 percentage points, this snapshot into public opinion emphasizes the urgent need for dialogue around immigration policy as the landscape continues to shift. As Canadians grapple with the complexities of immigration, this poll serves as a critical reminder of the diverse perspectives within the country, reflecting both the welcoming spirit many hold and the concerns that prompt calls for change. Will the government heed these sentiments, or will immigration policy remain steadfast? Only time will tell.