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Vancouver Sun
6 days ago
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Most Canadians still think Canada is accepting too many immigrants, and many don't trust newcomers: poll
Most Canadians believe the country is admitting too many immigrants and many do not trust the newcomers, new polling shows. The national Leger poll conducted for the Association for Canadian Studies and the Metropolis Institute found that 62 per cent of people think that the country is currently admitting too many immigrants. That's an increase of four percentage points since pollsters last asked the question in March 2025, and more than double the number of people who felt that way six years ago. In the most recent poll, only 20 per cent disagreed and 19 per cent said they don't know. The poll also asked Canadians if they think immigrants can be trusted. Only 42 per cent of Canadians said immigrants can be trusted and that number drops to 36 per cent when it comes to refugees. The poll found that 20 per cent of respondents think immigrants cannot be trusted and 23 per cent said refugees cannot be trusted. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'While most observers attribute the persistent concern with the numbers of refugees to economic concerns and housing challenges, the survey looks at the extent to which Canadians trust immigrants and refugees and finds that amongst those Canadians who feel that there are too many immigrants, the level of trust in refugees is especially low,' says an analysis published alongside the poll. It found that of the people who think there are too many people coming to Canada, only 32 per cent trust immigrants, while 28 per cent said they can't be trusted. Only 24 per cent trust refugees, while 32 per cent said they cannot be trusted. 'This may imply that concerns over domestic intergroup tensions may be a more important factor in concern with levels than has been previously acknowledged,' the analysis says. Jack Jedwab, president and CEO of the Association for Canadian Studies and the Metropolis Institute, said that he wanted to investigate what is driving the pushback on immigration levels, besides economic and housing concerns. 'We're trying to probe here whether Canadians do have security concerns that are also driving some of the reticence or hesitation about immigration right now. My conclusion is that that is the case,' said Jedwab. 'The point of the survey is, there is an issue that we need to pay attention to. If there is a security concern associated with migration right now, it requires some attention and a need to reassure Canadians that our government and the responsible departments are taking care of those issues, are paying attention to those issues if and when they arrive, or where and when they may arise.' The poll found that 57 per cent of immigrants also agree that there are too many immigrants, while 60 per cent of non-immigrants feel that way. Non-white people surveyed feel the strongest, with 61 per cent agreeing that there are too many immigrants, compared to 58 per cent of white people. 'That polarization is not based on whether you are yourself an immigrant or you are a minority, it's not. It's transcending that,' said Jedwab. 'So the trust issue is a critical factor. It's just not defined by, as I said, your status as an immigrant or non-immigrant or as a minority. Those groups of people are making observations to the same extent across those markers of identity.' Refugees are more likely to be trusted by non-immigrants (38 per cent) than immigrants (33 per cent). White people are also more likely to trust refugees (37 per cent) than non-white people (33 per cent). They are most likely to not be trusted by non-white people (28 per cent) compared to 22 per cent of white people, 22 per cent of immigrants and 23 per cent of non-immigrants. Immigrants, however, are more likely to be trusted by other immigrants and non-white people (both at 53 per cent) than by non-immigrants and white people (40 per cent for each). 'The actual trust issues seem to be really one that transcends those categories. It's not polarized in the way some people envision it to be polarized. It's a lot more complex than that,' said Jedwab. 'We're seeing the degree of trust expressed in refugees as especially low. And particularly amongst those people who think there are too many immigrants, the trust of refugees is low, lower than it is normally.' The view that there are too many immigrants entering Canada has been constantly held by at least half of Canadians since February 2024, when 50 per cent of those polled expressed that view. Even then, that was an unusually high figure. In March 2019, just 35 per cent of those polled said there were too many immigrants coming to Canada. 'Whether you're born in Canada or not born in Canada, or whether you're a minority or not, this issue around trust, and the perceptions around the global instability, is affecting our perspectives around migration.' said Jedwab. Across all age groups, the majority of people feel that there are too many immigrants coming into the country, but young people are less likely to feel that way. More than half (55 per cent) of those aged 18 to 34 think there are too many immigrants, compared to 65 per cent of 35 to 54 year olds and 63 per cent of those aged 55 and older. In Atlantic Canada, 71 per cent of respondents agreed that there were too many newcomers. In Quebec and Ontario, 63 per cent agreed, while in Alberta 65 per cent said they feel that way. Fifty-four per cent of respondents in Manitoba and Saskatchewan agreed. In British Columbia, 52 per cent of respondents said there are too many immigrants. 'It is important that we properly understand what the factors are underlying the reticence about immigration. So that's where the importance … is in trying to establish what the concerns are, how significant those concerns are, where those concerns are coming from. And then, on that basis, to determine how best to address them rather than dismissing them,' said Jedwab. The online survey of 1,580 Canadian adults was conducted by Leger for the Association for Canadian Studies between June 20 and 22. A margin of error cannot be associated with a non-probability sample in a panel survey for comparison purposes. A probability sample of 1,580 respondents would have a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Calgary Herald
24-05-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
What the data show about the state of immigration in Canada since cuts were announced
Article content A new analysis of immigration data released by the federal government reveals that while the number of new permanent residents dropped after the federal government announced that it would cut immigration levels, the number of temporary foreign workers actually increased, while other temporary permits declined. Article content Last October, the federal government under then prime minister Justin Trudeau announced it would reduce its permanent immigration targets from 500,000 down to 395,000 in 2025. The government also set a cap for the first time on the intake of temporary residents in both student and worker streams, at 673,650 temporary resident visas for 2025. Article content Article content 'Meeting these targets is not simple given the need to account for regional priorities, pre-existing and other considerations,' says a detailed analysis of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada data done by the Metropolis Institute and the Association for Canadian Studies. Article content Article content The government will also have to take into account population growth, which has slowed since the immigration cuts were announced. During the fourth quarter of 2024, Canada's population grew by 0.2 per cent, the slowest quarterly growth rate since the end of 2020. Article content 'Those declines in population growth, that's an issue that is the object of an important national conversation that we're not really having. We're not meaningfully having that conversation, which is, do we want population growth? Or do we not? We're very dependent on immigration in that regard, and so we're not making that connection,' said Jack Jedwab, president and CEO of the Association for Canadian Studies and the Metropolis Institute. In a follow-up email, Jedwab noted that Prime Minister Mark Carney promised to return 'our overall immigration rates to sustainable levels,' in his mandate letter published on May 21. But that is a term 'that is open to much interpretation,' Jedwab said. Article content Article content According to Statistics Canada data, the overall population reached 41,528,680 on Jan. 1, 2025, up from 41,465,298 on Oct. 1, 2024, an increase of 63,382, the report states. 'By contrast, the population increase between the two previous quarters was 176,699. Immigration level reductions played a critical role in the outcome,' the report states. Article content Article content While the number of new permanent residents in a single quarter declined by 15 per cent, when comparing the first quarter of 2024 to the first quarter of 2025, the largest reduction in newcomers was attributed to temporary residents who came via the International Mobility Program (IMP). The program allows companies to hire temporary foreign workers without the usual Labour Market Impact Assessment. The IMP includes the post-graduate work permits granted to international students, the International Experience Canada stream for workers aged 18 to 35, free trade agreements, company transfers and permits for high-demand occupations, such as software engineers, among other programs.
Vancouver Sun
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
New survey finds people holding very negative opinions of Israel are more likely to be antisemitic
Article content A new survey finds 'an important minority of Canadians' channel strong negative sentiment towards Israel into negative views of Jews. Article content Article content Israel Independence Day begins the evening of April 30, marking the Jewish state's 77th birthday, amid a tide of antisemitism in Canada and elsewhere. Article content 'While people certainly have the right to criticize the government of Israel, it's a serious problem when it descends into antisemitism,' said Jack Jedwab, the president and CEO of the Association for Canadian Studies and the Metropolis Institute, in an email. Article content Article content Two surveys by Leger Marketing for the Association for Canadian Studies examine Canadians' views on Israel, Judaism, and Jews, and explore the connections between opinions of Israel and attitudes toward Judaism and Jews. They also investigate the impact of Holocaust awareness on shaping these attitudes. Article content Article content Since October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacks triggered the Israel-Hamas conflict, there has been a significant increase in hate crimes targeting Jews across Canada. Of the 1,284 police-reported religion-based hate crimes in Canada in 2023, an alarming 900 targeted Jews, according to the most recent Statistics Canada report. Article content The first Leger survey, conducted on March 1-2, 2025, asked questions of 1,548 Canadians. The second survey took place between April 17-19 and involved 1,603 Canadians. Article content Article content One of the findings is that most people who hold a very negative opinion of Israel had the most negative views of Judaism. One survey found that the majority of people holding a negative view of Judaism hold negative views of Jews. Article content Article content 'The study confirms some links between anti-Israel and anti-Jewish sentiment. The observation requires some nuance and is complex, as most Canadians holding negative sentiments toward Israel do not hold very negative sentiments toward Jews. Nonetheless, an important minority of Canadians do indeed channel strong negative sentiment towards Israel into negative views of Jews,' said Jedwab.
Edmonton Journal
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
New survey finds people holding very negative opinions of Israel are more likely to be antisemitic
Article content A new survey finds 'an important minority of Canadians' channel strong negative sentiment towards Israel into negative views of Jews. Israel Independence Day begins the evening of April 30, marking the Jewish state's 77th birthday, amid a tide of antisemitism in Canada and elsewhere. 'While people certainly have the right to criticize the government of Israel, it's a serious problem when it descends into antisemitism,' said Jack Jedwab, the president and CEO of the Association for Canadian Studies and the Metropolis Institute, in an email.
National Post
30-04-2025
- Politics
- National Post
New survey finds people holding very negative opinions of Israel are more likely to be antisemitic
A new survey finds 'an important minority of Canadians' channel strong negative sentiment towards Israel into negative views of Jews. Article content Article content Israel Independence Day begins the evening of April 30, marking the Jewish state's 77th birthday, amid a tide of antisemitism in Canada and elsewhere. Article content 'While people certainly have the right to criticize the government of Israel, it's a serious problem when it descends into antisemitism,' said Jack Jedwab, the president and CEO of the Association for Canadian Studies and the Metropolis Institute, in an email. Article content Two surveys by Leger Marketing for the Association for Canadian Studies examine Canadians' views on Israel, Judaism, and Jews, and explore the connections between opinions of Israel and attitudes toward Judaism and Jews. They also investigate the impact of Holocaust awareness on shaping these attitudes. Article content Article content The first Leger survey, conducted on March 1-2, 2025, asked questions of 1,548 Canadians. The second survey took place between April 17-19 and involved 1,603 Canadians. Article content One of the findings is that most people who hold a very negative opinion of Israel had the most negative views of Judaism. One survey found that the majority of people holding a negative view of Judaism hold negative views of Jews. Article content Article content 'The study confirms some links between anti-Israel and anti-Jewish sentiment. The observation requires some nuance and is complex, as most Canadians holding negative sentiments toward Israel do not hold very negative sentiments toward Jews. Nonetheless, an important minority of Canadians do indeed channel strong negative sentiment towards Israel into negative views of Jews,' said Jedwab. Article content Article content 'There is a point at which negative sentiment towards Israel translates into an anti-Jewish sentiment.' Article content The second survey found that older Canadians more likely to view relations between Canada and Israel, as well as between non-Jewish Canadians and Jewish Canadians, positively rather than negatively. Article content The survey found that 55 per cent of French-Canadians hold a negative view of Israel, compared to 42 per cent of English Canadians. Quebecers are more likely than the residents of other provinces to assess relations between Jewish and non-Jewish Canadians negatively. Quebecers are also the most likely to have a negative view of Israel. Francophones in Canada are also somewhat more likely to have negative opinions of Judaism and Jews, according to the surveys.
