The last year saw record-breaking population increase in Canada, which looks to be a direct outcome of pro-immigration policies.
Official statistics show that the nation’s population increased by more than a million last year for the first time since 1957 for a variety of factors, with immigration being the main driver.
The population has increased to 39.5 million, according to Statistics Canada, the official government census agency, marking the first 12-month period in “Canada’s history where population climbed by over one million individuals.”
The country’s population increased by 2.7 percent, which was the greatest rate since 1957, when it increased by 3.3 percent as a result of a number of reasons, including the post-World War II baby boom and an increase in refugees arriving from Europe.
The increase in both permanent immigration and temporary immigration, according to the government body, “also represent extra issues for some regions of the country related to housing, infrastructure and transportation, and service delivery to the people.”
According to data, Canada welcomed 437,000 immigrants in 2022, while the nation’s non-permanent population increased by 607,782.
The increase in population could be linked to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s immigration policy, which he has implemented since taking office in 2015. The government said last year that it will accept 500,000 immigrants annually by 2025.
As the far-right groups are arguing against immigration, the Canadian government has been embracing immigrants from war-torn nations like the Ukraine, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Syria. In doing so, it has managed to present a positive image of Canada before the international community.
About 96 percent of the gain is attributable to overseas migration, indicating that skilled workers are now considering Canada as a better alternative than the US, UK, or other European destinations.
The information is released at a time when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and US President Joe Biden are expected to meet in Canada on Thursday to discuss concerns including the rise in asylum seekers using unofficial crossing sites along their shared border.
