A new national survey from the Environics Institute for Survey Research and the Diversity Institute at Toronto Metropolitan University reveals shifting Canadian attitudes toward immigration. The proportion of Canadians who believe there is too much immigration has declined to 48%, down from a peak of 58% in 2024. However, this figure remains significantly higher than the 27% recorded in 2022, indicating a notable shift in public opinion over recent years.
The survey highlights strong support for the economic benefits of immigration, with 75% of Canadians agreeing that immigrants have a positive impact on the economy. This marks an increase from 68% in 2024. The findings also underscore the critical role immigrants play in addressing Canada's labor shortages and productivity challenges, despite ongoing concerns about housing and infrastructure.
Among those who believe immigration levels are too high, the top concerns include poor management of the immigration system (28%), economic or employment worries (28%), and housing prices (26%). However, a growing majority (68%) reject the idea that immigrants take jobs away from other Canadians, up from 60% in 2025.
Political divisions are evident in the survey results. A vast majority of NDP (80%) and Liberal (64%) supporters disagree with the notion that Canada accepts too many immigrants, compared to just 20% of Conservative supporters. Similarly, Liberal (87%) and NDP (86%) supporters overwhelmingly agree that immigration has a positive economic impact, while Conservative supporters are nearly split on the issue (50% agree, 45% disagree).