2022 record year for immigration to Canada, but housing challenges persist

Canada is bringing in more newcomers than ever before, breaking an all-time immigration record last year.

But the path to prosperity for new arrivals remains difficult as people face inflation, low wages in many sectors of the economy, and in particular, a lack of affordable housing.

To get a sense of the scale of this, immigration now makes up three quarters of this country’s population growth.

Canada is bringing in more newcomers than ever before, breaking an all-time immigration record last year. But the path to prosperity for new arrivals remains difficult as people face inflation, low wages in many sectors of the economy, and in particular, a lack of affordable housing. To get a sense of the scale of this, immigration now makes up three quarters of this country’s population growth.

Canada welcomes historic number of newcomers in 2022https://t.co/v5Bv7N5TFj

— GC Newsroom (@NewsroomGC) January 3, 2023

“It is a testament to the strength and resilience of our country and its people. Newcomers play an essential role in filling labour shortages, bringing new perspectives and talents to our communities, and enriching our society as a whole,” Sean Fraser, Canada’s minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship, said in a news release.

There were nearly 431,645 permanent residents added in 2022, shattering 2021’s previous high.

And while the country needs immigrants given so many people are retiring, Shawkat Hasan with the BC Muslim Association says many are having issues finding affordable housing.

“We used to rent two bedrooms in Surrey, some few years ago, for $1,300, $1,200, $1,400,” Hasan told CityNews in an interview. “Now you need $2,000, more than $2,000, to rent the same two bedrooms.”

But that’s only the housing aspect. Hasan points out that even just paying for the basics has risen significantly, even in comparison with a few years ago.

“We used to give the family, for living expenses, $1,500 for a month, for a family of three or four,” Hasan said. “Now, the $1,500 is not good enough. So we need more resources to keep up with the situation. The rent and the living expenses.”

That’s echoed by Chris Friesen with the Immigrant Services Society of BC, who wants the federal government and provinces to co-ordinate more closely on housing strategy.

“These are people, these are future Canadians. They need housing, they may need to access our health care system, take transit, their children attend public schooling, and so forth,” Friesen said. “We need a better holistic plan, and forecasting, so those developers know, here’s what the projected population growth increase…this is what the projected housing needs are. We need to do more of that planning, future projection piece. That’s why I think the time has come for a [change] in B.C.’s immigration plan.”