Close X
Sunday, November 10, 2024
ADVT 
National

Housing crunch prompts efforts to stabilize immigration levels, say federal ministers

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 12 Jan, 2024 11:42 AM
  • Housing crunch prompts efforts to stabilize immigration levels, say federal ministers

Housing Minister Sean Fraser and Immigration Minister Marc Miller say the federal government is working to stabilize the number of people entering the country every year as housing pressures mount.

The Canadian Press reported Thursday on internal documents from 2022 showing senior public servants had been warned a major increase in immigration could affect access to housing and services.

The federal government ultimately decided to increase the number of permanent residents Canada welcomes each year to 500,000 in 2025 — nearly double the amount from 2015.

In a joint statement today, the Liberal ministers are defending the decision to boost immigration levels, noting the economy would have otherwise shrunk after the COVID-19 pandemic.

They say businesses facing labour shortages would have closed and that health care and other services would also have been affected.

But they also say housing pressures have pushed the government to stabilize immigration levels, which includes temporary resident admissions as they reform the international students program.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Trucker, Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, who caused Broncos crash loses latest bid to stay in Canada

Trucker, Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, who caused Broncos crash loses latest bid to stay in Canada
A federal judge has dismissed applications from the truck driver who caused the deadly Humboldt Broncos bus crash in Saskatchewan and was fighting deportation back to India. Jaskirat Singh Sidhu was sentenced to eight years for causing the 2018 crash that killed 16 people and injured 13 others.  

Trucker, Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, who caused Broncos crash loses latest bid to stay in Canada

2 men charged in firearms trafficking

2 men charged in firearms trafficking
B-C's anti-gang enforcement unit says charges have been laid against two men who were accused of manufacturing guns and trafficking them. Justin Bos, a 38-year-old from Langley, has been charged with one count of firearms manufacturing, while 36-year-old Delta resident Matthew Whitty has been charged with two counts of possession of a restricted firearm. 

2 men charged in firearms trafficking

Vancouver passes motion to ask province to amend charter, remove elected Park Board

Vancouver passes motion to ask province to amend charter, remove elected Park Board
Vancouver's municipal council has passed a motion aimed at removing the city's elected Park Board. At a meeting last night, council passed a motion by Mayor Ken Sim to ask the province to amend the Vancouver Charter in order to abolish the Park Board.

Vancouver passes motion to ask province to amend charter, remove elected Park Board

Improved transit coming to 4 communities in a joint effort by the Province and the Feds

Improved transit coming to 4 communities in a joint effort by the Province and the Feds
B-C Transit and the federal and provincial governments have combined funding of just over 90-million dollars to improve transit infrastructure to four communities.  The announcement by federal Infrastructure Minister Sean Fraser, B-C’s Transport Minister Rob Fleming and B-C Transit’s C-E-O Erinn Pinkerton will allow for preliminary work for a proposed new transit centre in Saanich. 

Improved transit coming to 4 communities in a joint effort by the Province and the Feds

Bank robbery in East Vancouver

Bank robbery in East Vancouver
Vancouver police say a 61-year-old man with a gun was arrested by a dog team after he robbed a bank in East Vancouver. They say the man was treated for a minor dog bite yesterday.

Bank robbery in East Vancouver

Jewelry theft worth $20K in Langford

Jewelry theft worth $20K in Langford
Mounties have released a photo of a suspect who stole about 20-thousand-dollars worth of jewelry from a Langford store. West Shore R-C-M-P say a man tried on several necklaces at West Shore Jewelry on Saturday then took off without paying.

Jewelry theft worth $20K in Langford