Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney criticized Canada’s immigration policies in recent years, stating that the country admitted more people than it could effectively accommodate. Carney, who is a special adviser to the Liberal party, made these remarks at an event in Ottawa hosted by Cardus, a Christian think tank.
Carney expressed concerns about the high levels of foreign workers, students, and new Canadians entering the country without adequate infrastructure in place to support them. He emphasized the importance of providing housing, healthcare, social services, and opportunities for newcomers to ensure their successful integration.
In response to mounting criticism and population growth, the Liberal government announced plans to reduce immigration targets for permanent residents and scale back the number of temporary residents in Canada.
Statistics Canada reported a three percent increase in the population as of July 1, a significant rise compared to the average annual growth of less than 1.5 percent between 1998 and 2018. With the proposed changes to immigration targets, Canada’s population is expected to decline slightly in 2025 and 2026 before returning to growth in 2027.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau admitted that his government did not strike the right balance on immigration amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Carney attributed the immigration policy failures to a decision to relax rules in response to business demands for more temporary foreign workers, leading to a loss of control over the process. He also criticized provinces for underfunding higher education, forcing universities to rely on revenue from foreign students.
Carney questioned the country’s commitment to higher education and suggested that increased funding for universities could alleviate the pressure to admit more foreign students.
