Between 2020 and 2022, numerous business, educational and non-governmental organizations supported raising permanent and temporary immigration levels and easing restrictions on temporary workers. The provinces, with the exception of Quebec, also generally went along with the federal immigration strategy, backing large numbers of international students, whose higher tuition helped fund post-secondary schools. Many academics and numerous conferences, including Metropolis and Pathways to Prosperity, supported higher levels of immigration. The business community prioritized immigration as a cheaper means to meet labour-market needs than raising wages and investing in technology. However, some demographers, geographers and labour-market economists offered a more balanced view of higher permanent and temporary immigration.

Source: National Post March 05, 2026 19:06 UTC