Is Halton Set to Welcome More New Immigrants Than Ever Before?
Published November 6, 2017 at 9:48 pm
It’s no secret that Halton has become home to people from all over the world and for good reason–it’s big, growing and inherently diverse.
It’s no secret that Halton has become home to people from all over the world and for good reason–it’s big, growing and inherently diverse.
Now, however, it looks like it could soon be welcoming even more new Canadians to the fold–340,000 over the next few years, to be exact.
The federal government recently announced what it’s calling a “historic multi-year immigration plan that sets out the highest levels in recent history.”
Last week, Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced the government’s plan that the Trudeau government says “will responsibly grow the number of permanent residents Canada welcomes annually.”
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Beginning with 310,000 new permanent residents in 2018, and growing to 330,000 in 2019 and 340,000 in 2020, the plan sets out the most ambitious immigration levels in recent history.
“This measured, gradual increase will trend towards one percent of the population by 2020, spurring innovation and representing a major investment in Canada’s prosperity, now and into the future,” the federal government said in a statement.
The push to increase immigration is linked to growing the country’s economy, as the government says the influx of new residents will “foster economic growth in the face of slowing labour force growth and an ageing population.”
The government says the program will seek to disperse new residents across all of Canada.
“Increased levels will create the space needed to reduce backlogs and decrease processing times for families sponsoring spouses, children, parents, grandparents, and caregivers,” the government says. “The 2018-2020 multi-year immigration levels plan also fulfills our commitment to offer protection to those in need.”
The government says Canada’s immigration system is unique in the sense that it places emphasis on providing assistance to recently arrived newcomers to weather their migration transition period, learn English or French, find meaningful employment, and establish themselves in their communities.
“This historic multi-year immigration levels plan will benefit all Canadians because immigrants will contribute their talents to support our economic growth and innovation, helping to keep our country at the forefront of the global economy,” says Hussen.
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