November 1, 2026 — Canadians are split on the question of whether there is too much immigration, but sentiment is shifting to more openness.
A report by the Environics Institute for Survey Research notes that 48 percent agree and 48 percent disagree on this issue of immigration.
While Canadians are squarely divided, the backlash against immigration has declined.
In its October 26, 2026 report, the Environics Institute recalled that between 2022 and 2024, the proportion of Canadians agreeing that there is too much immigration to Canada doubled from 27 percent to 58 percent.
Little changed the following year, with the proportion agreeing in 2025 declining by only two points, to 56 percent.
In 2026, Canadians are evenly split on the question, with 48 percent in agreement and 48 percent disagreeing.
As the Toronto-based think tank noted, the proportion agreeing that there is too much immigration is now eight percent lower than last year, and 10 points lower than in 2024.
“This represents a significant shift toward more openness on immigration,” the Environics Institute stated.
The report titled “Public Opinion on Immigration and Refugees: 2026” follows a Bank of Canada study underscoring the importance of immigration.
Released on October 8 this year, the paper noted that the federal government started to reduce immigration levels in 2024.
“Many temporary residents are leaving Canada, and in the coming years, fewer new immigrants will arrive. Canadians will also continue to get older. This will affect the size of our workforce, what we buy and how much the economy can produce,” the central bank noted.
Lower immigration means fewer workers and weaker demand for goods and services.
“The economy won’t grow as fast as a result,” the report stated.
Titled “Demographic changes are reshaping the Canadian economy”, the paper noted that many immigrants are young and they start contributing to the economy as soon as they arrive.
“When immigrants move to Canada, they spend money to build their life here—and that creates demand in the economy. They buy things to furnish their home and spend on everyday goods and services such as groceries, clothing and transportation.
“The increased demand for goods and services helps fuel the economy. And because immigrants also add to how much the economy can produce, the extra demand doesn’t usually drive up inflation,” the Bank of Canada stated.
Cuts to immigration levels started in 2024 under then prime minister Justin Trudeau as the increased number of newcomers was being blamed by the public for the high cost of housing and strain on services and infrastructure.
Immigration emerged as a key issue in the 2025 federal election. By that time, Mark Carney has replaced Trudeau as prime minister after winning the leadership race of the ruling Liberal Party.
The Carney government continued with cuts to immigration, with a particular focus on temporary foreign workers and international students.
In its “2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan” released on November 5, 2025, the government noted that 3.3 per cent of Canada’s population in 2018 were temporary residents.
However, by 2024, that number had more than doubled to 7.5 per cent, which was an “unprecedented rate of growth that put pressure on housing supply, the healthcare system, and schools”.
“Canada’s new government recognises that this system is no longer sustainable, and we are determined to make it so, for everyone who lives in and comes to this country,” the plan stated.
The plan provided for the reduction of new temporary resident admissions from 673,650 in 2025 to 385,000 in 2026, and 370,000 in 2027 and 2028.
In addition, the plan sought to “stabilise” permanent resident admission targets at 380,000 per year for three years, down from 395,000 in 2025, while increasing the share of economic migrants from 59 percent to 64 per cent.
“We are taking back control over the immigration system and putting Canada on a trajectory to bring immigration back to sustainable levels—allowing us to fulfill the promise of Canada to those who call it home. At the same time, Canada will continue its long tradition of welcoming those fleeing violence, persecution and displacement,” the plan stated.
The federal government is expected to present its new immigration levels plan for 2027 to 2029 in November this year.
The Canadian Press reported on October 1, 2026 about Carney telling the New York Times about the possibility of “some controlled increase” in the country’s population, which may mean opening the doors wider to new immigration.
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