Canada’s immigration numbers have been increasing and are at an all-time high. Schools across the country have witnessed this increase first-hand. The federal government announced a year ago that 1.5 million immigrants will arrive over three years. With current challenges in areas such as the housing and job markets, many express concern for the increased number of newcomers who are viewed to be negatively impacting such sectors in society. However, instead of asking why there is so much immigration, Canadians need to ask what would happen if Canada had no immigration?

What would happen if Canada shut its borders to the three immigrant admissions classes (economic, family, and refugee)? As a 2018 report by the Conference Board of Canada indicated, “A no-immigration world would result in weak economic growth and fiscal strain…. Productivity enhancing investments would not fully compensate for the negative impacts of a shrinking workforce.” The Conference Board goes further in predicting that Canada’s population growth will be driven entirely by immigrants by the year 2040. Immigration accounts for 71 per cent of the country’s population growth currently.

If immigration were abandoned altogether, 27 per cent of Canada’s population would be comprised of people over the age of 65 by 2040. Our labour force would shrink. Immigrants contribute significantly to the labour force because many come in at a fairly young age and have many years ahead of them. In May of 2021, Statistics Canada shared that immigrants are making an important contribution across every sector of Canada’s economy. Immigrants aged 25 to 54 represented:

• over 36 per cent of people working in accommodation and food services;
• nearly 38 per cent of those working in the transportation and warehousing sector;
• over 34 per cent of those working in professional, scientific and technical services; and
• over 20 per cent of those working in construction.

With increased immigration levels, governments also know that dedicating time and resources to integrating newcomers into Canadian society is also important. However, the bottom line is that immigration makes for a stronger Canada. As outlined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), our country develops a shared bond of citizenship and values; a country that continues to support our humanitarian tradition…to help build an economically, socially and culturally prosperous nation.