Introduction
Are there enough people in Canada, or does the country need more? Canada relies on immigration for its financial and business development. As the country has one of the lowest population densities in the world, it could be reasonable to invite more foreigners.
However, this idea is likely to turn out to be controversial or even harmful in the long-term perspective. Although the rise in population grants Canada a labor force and economic growth, there are specific threats to consider. Canada should not accept more immigrants, as population increase will likely lead to housing and environmental crises.
Arguments Against Immigration to Canada
Overpopulation and the Housing Crisis
The first reason to protest against accepting more foreigners is overpopulation and the housing crisis. In 2021, Canada’s population growth had the highest rate among the Group of Seven (Kilpatrick, 2021, para. 6). The increase in population causes high housing demand and, therefore, leads to high housing prices. This problem combines with other market strains, such as a low supply of houses and apartments for rent or purchase (Killpatrick, 2022). The disproportion between demand and supply leads to the question of where Canadian citizens and new immigrants will live if there are even more people in the country.
Another problem has been consistent underbuilding for the last several decades (Killpatrick, 2022). All of the above-mentioned factors are a source of concern for the future development of the housing market. Continuing population growth caused by immigration will only exacerbate these problems.
Environmental Impact of Overpopulation
The second reason to consider immigration harmful to the country is the environmental problems caused by overpopulation as well. Natural resources in Canada are limited, and the rise in population leads to a shortage. It is a serious concern as the resources are insufficient to satisfy Canadian residents’ needs (Chinonso, 2021). In addition to all mentioned above, overpopulation influences the number of carbon emissions in the country, creating the problem of environmental pollution (“Immigration – General”, n.d., para. 6). All these problems should be considered while making decisions on immigration policy.
Counterargument: Economic Growth and Social Tensions
The proponents of immigration are likely to argue that it helps economic growth. One-third of immigrants come to the country with the help of programs for highly skilled employees (The Daily, 2022). Skilled workers are supposed to benefit the country as they are trained to work in fields where Canada lacks qualified employees. Between 2016 and 2021, immigrants accounted for four-fifths of labor force growth (The Daily, 2022, p. 1).
However, this benefit has an adverse effect on the native residents of the country. Since employers prefer to hire immigrants, the level of unemployment among citizens increases (Chinonso, 2021). It affects the wage as well, as immigrants are more likely to be satisfied with less pay. Therefore, Canadian citizens’ salary offers are uninspiring (Chinonso, 2021). It leads to a certain level of social tension as it seems as if economic growth and profit are achieved at the expense of Canadians.
Conclusion
In conclusion, even though it seems as if Canada has room for more people, immigration policy should be careful. There is no doubt that Canada gains certain benefits from immigrants. It helps to overcome the lack of qualified staff in different sectors of the economy.
Still, the population rise caused by immigration comes with its disadvantages. For example, overpopulation leads to the fast depletion of natural resources. It causes a high level of air pollution as well. There are serious concerns about how immigration influences the real estate market. Another problem is the high rate of unemployment among Canadian residents. All the above-mentioned factors lead to the conclusion that Canada should not accept more immigrants.
References
Chinonso, N. (2021). How does immigration negatively affect Canada. Fasthire. Web.
The Daily. (2022). Immigrants make up the largest share of the population in over 150 years and continue to shape who we are as Canadians. Component of Statistics Canada catalogue no. 11-001-X, 1-21. Web.
Immigration – general. The negative effects of immigration in Canada. (n.d.). Canadians for a Sustainable Society. Web.
Kilpatrick, S. (2022). Immigration is rising. So will housing prices – unless we start building a lot more homes. The Globe and Mail. Web.