You are now in the main content area

Escape to the future? Can Canada's immigration plans change prosperity over the years ahead?

Date
January 14, 2021
Time
12:00 PM EST - 1:00 PM EST
Location
Online via Zoom
Print

In fall 2020, the Government of Canada announced (external link, opens in new window)  an ambitious plan to increase immigration targets for the period 2021-2023 to more than 1.2 million people instead of the original 1 million planned for 2020-2022.

The increase is driven largely by the need to make up for lost immigration during the COVID-19 pandemic and to provide economic stimulus in the pandemic aftermath. Approximately 60% of new admissions are expected to come from the economic class of skilled workers.

The academic community is divided on whether or not a sudden surge in migrant intake will lead to the desired outcome. Will the increase in levels add up to simply a signal to the business community that more immigrants mean more consumers? Or will the plan have a multiplier effect and function as a prime example of Keynesian policy where more migrants will lead to more work and funding for the settlement sector, more people buying and renting homes, etc?

On January 14, CERC brought together a panel of experts to examine the evidence and arguments of what the future impact will be of Canada’s Immigration Plan, 2021-2023.

Andrew Griffith, Fellow, Environics Institute

Iain Reeve, Associate Director, Immigration, The Conference Board of Canada

Christopher Worswick, Professor of Economics, Carleton University

Armine Yalnizyan, Atkinson Fellow, Atkinson Foundation

Chair: Anna Triandafyllidou, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration and Integration