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TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that the country will significantly reduce the number of new immigrants it allows into the country after acknowledging that his government failed to get the balance right coming out of the pandemic.
Trudeau’s Liberal government was criticized for its plan to allow 500,000 new permanent residents into the country in each of the next two years. On Thursday, he said next year’s target will now be 395,000 new permanent residents and that the figure will drop to 380,000 in 2026 and 365,000 in 2027.
“In the tumultuous times as we emerged from the pandemic, between addressing labor needs and maintaining population growth, we didn’t get the balance right,” Trudeau said.
“Immigration is essential for Canada’s future, but it must be controlled and it must be sustainable.”
Trudeau, who is facing calls from within his own party not to seek a fourth term, has endured mounting criticism over his immigration policies and the negative impact that population growth has had on housing affordability.
He said his government will reduce the number of immigrants Canada brings in over the next three years, and that this will freeze population growth over the next two years. Canada reached 41 million people in April. The population was 37.5 million in 2019.
Trudeau said Canada needs to stabilize its population growth to allow all levels of government to make necessary changes to health care, housing and social services so that it can accommodate more people in the future.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller said the lower immigration numbers will help with the country’s housing shortage.
He also acknowledged the change in public opinion about immigration.
“That volume that we have put forward is of concern,” Miller said.
Miller said the government sees the pressures facing Canadians, and that it must must adapt its policies accordingly. He said government leaders have listened and will continue to protect the integrity of the immigration system and grow Canada’s population responsibly.
“We are an open country, but not everyone can come to this country,” he said, noting that Canada will continue to welcome outsiders and that the government’s immigration targets remain ambitious.
Trudeau’s government has long touted Canada’s immigration policy and how Canada is better than peer countries in welcoming newcomers and integrating them into the economy.
Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the opposition Conservative Party, accused Trudeau of destroying the national consensus on immigration.