The head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said during a visit to Ottawa this week that Canada would be wise to reduce the number of new refugees it plans to resettle if it helps stabilize the housing market and prevents a backlash against newcomers.
Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Cabinet members on Monday in Ottawa as the Liberal government pledged $50.4 million to the agency.
His visit comes just over a week after the federal government announced plans to reduce overall immigration levels by 20 per cent for 2025 – a reduction that includes refugees and protected persons.
The government cited pressures on available housing as one of the reasons for the new policy.
Grande says Canada remains a world leader in resettlement, but he says pro-refugee sentiment is fragile in an economic or housing crisis and it would be “really negative” to destroy it.
“Without quality housing, integration becomes difficult or threatens social cohesion between Canadian residents affected by the housing crisis and people coming in and competing for housing,” he said in an interview Monday.
“I think that in these situations, it is wise to get things in order and bring about stability and unification, because otherwise large numbers will come – which is great in a global context – but it could create problems, it could create backlash domestically.”
When economic or housing crises strike, refugee integration must be approached with extreme caution, he said.
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The newly set targets will see the projected number of refugees granted permanent resident status in Canada fall by 14,400 in 2025 compared to the plan set out last year.
The reduction is most severe for protected persons in Canada and their dependents abroad, which is expected to fall by 31 per cent compared to the government’s previous plan.
The move sparked condemnation from immigrant groups, including the Canadian Refugee Council, which called the new plan dangerous and treacherous.
“It is no exaggeration to say that today’s action will deprive children of their future and devastate their families. People will lose their lives,” Assembly Speaker Diana Gallego said in a statement when the Liberals unveiled their new plan.
Canada has played a major role in resettling Syrian, Ukrainian and Afghan refugees over the past few years, although their respective programs have varied.
Immigration Minister Mark Miller said the goals proposed would allow Canada to meet all of its current refugee obligations, but the government must now evaluate the matter.
“If we want to continue to be an open and welcoming country, there must be some reasonable standards about the different circumstances in which we welcome people. Otherwise they are all under threat.”
Grandi said he hopes the targets will be increased again once the country has the resources and housing needed to integrate the newcomers.
& Edition 2024 The Canadian Press
