Is Immigration Responsible for the Current Housing Crisis in Canada?

Project Lead

Team Members

Rupa Banerjee, Feng Qiu, Jeongwon Gim (external link) , Nilusha Welegedara (external link)

Sub-Theme: Housing and Migration

This sub-theme explores the impact of the rapid increase in immigration on the housing market in various regions of Canada and the challenges that immigrants, refugees and international students encounter in securing housing.

Objective

This project systematically analyzes recent historical data related to migration to better understand the relationship between Canadian immigration and the current housing supply crisis.

Research Questions

Are high levels of immigration causing the Canadian housing crisis?
Was the housing crisis already occurring and only got exacerbated by increased immigration levels?
Is immigration used as a panacea to address Canada's economic challenges and labour shortage?

Methodology

This project will use a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, including expert interviews, statistical modelling, and comparative research.

Outcomes

Past events and presentations:

Presentation delivered at the Multicultural Health Brokers (MCHB) Community Forum, sharing the literature review and preliminary insights to foster collaboration with service providers, 2025.
Meeting with the Housing Economist from the City of Calgary, presenting the latest results for the Calgary region, 2025.
Presentation by Dewmi, “Immigration Impact on Current Housing Crisis in Canada,” University of Alberta Bridging Divides Team, University of Alberta, December 18, 2024.