Canada's Obligations to Immigrants & Locals

Canada is failing both immigrants and citizens by growing too fast without support. Here's what must change.

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Learning What Went Wrong

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

Canada has long imagined itself as a beacon of fairness and diversity, a country where the world’s tired and poor might find a fresh start under the maple leaf. However, for many, that image is now broken. Across the country, both newcomers and long-time residents are struggling to make ends meet. Food banks are overwhelmed, emergency rooms are full, rent has outpaced income, and good jobs feel harder to come by. Until recently, the government has started reducing immigration targets in response to these issues.

This is about what kind of country Canada wants to be and whether that identity includes empathy, accountability, and common sense.

For Americans looking north and wondering whether they could build a life here, it’s worth understanding this moment. On the other hand, for Canadians, it’s time to reflect on how we’ve allowed a noble system to become one that quietly betrays newcomers and citizens alike.

Why the Frustration Is Real

Contrary to what online noise might suggest, most Canadians aren’t hostile to immigrants. Polling continues to show majority support for immigration, particularly when it brings in high-skilled workers, such as doctors or engineers. This reflects Canada’s points-based immigration system, designed to reward merit and long-term contribution. When asked, Canadians are usually quick to say yes to more medical professionals, scientists, and teachers.

Despite this, frustration simmers beneath that surface because of what has happened to the promises made to both groups. Immigrants arrive expecting opportunity, safety, and fairness, often after paying thousands of dollars or enduring years of uncertainty. Meanwhile, Canadians expect their governments to ensure that the arrival of newcomers doesn’t come at the cost of a livable society for all. Right now, both communities are being let down.

Many immigrants arrive to find no support system, few job prospects in their field, and a housing crisis that offers only basements, shelters, or exploitative landlords. Some are given false hope by bad actors, employers, recruiters, or immigration consultants, who sell dreams of prosperity, only to trap them in menial jobs or unstable visa statuses.

At the same time, Canadians see their kids priced out of homeownership, their elderly parents waitlisted indefinitely for care, and their mental health services underfunded and unavailable. They are told to be patient and generous, but patience wears thin when the future seems permanently delayed.

The Hidden Damage of Policy Misalignment

The issue is the scale and speed of growth in immigration policy, paired with the utter lack of preparation. Our healthcare systems were already under stress, our housing supply was already behind, and our labour markets were already unbalanced, with rising underemployment and a glut of low-wage, precarious jobs. However, the federal government, under Justin Trudeau, raised immigration quotas anyway, without giving provinces, municipalities, or civil society the tools to cope.

This mismatch has resulted in very real harm, including for the immigrants themselves. Many find that Canada’s vaunted fairness isn’t what it seemed. Regulated professions are difficult to enter, and recognition of foreign credentials remains rare. Language barriers and unspoken cultural norms make workplaces feel exclusionary or alienating. Those who try to assimilate are often blamed for "changing the culture," while those who maintain close-knit communities are accused of failing to integrate.

The irony is bitter: we say we want immigrants to contribute, but then leave them stranded without pathways to do so.

Cultural Clashes and Misunderstandings

Where public tension flares most often is in the everyday places: apartment buildings, job sites, and shopping malls. Some behaviours that are routine or accepted in one part of the world may seem jarring in another. Loud video calls in public, personal phone use during work hours, ignoring parking rules, or failing to say a simple “sorry” or “excuse me” can feel, to some Canadians, like a rejection of shared civic norms.

In reality, many of these behaviours stem from misunderstanding, not malice. Nonetheless, when they happen in places already straining under pressure where jobs are scarce or housing is limited, they become flashpoints. The growing perception that enclaves are forming, or that certain communities "stick together" at the expense of others, deepens a sense of alienation.

It is essential to be clear: the anger here is rarely about individual immigrants. Instead, it is about the failure of systems, government, business, and regulation alike to help people adapt. It is about poor oversight, negligent planning, and an unwillingness to speak honestly about limits.

What Must Change

The first thing we must do is slow down, which the government is trying to do, but not out of fear or xenophobia. If we cannot treat our people well, we will not treat immigrants well, as many of them have been lured to Canada with false promises. Growth cannot be good if it comes at the cost of humanity.

We need balanced immigration, diverse in background and pace, paired with heavy investment in housing, healthcare, education, and job creation. We need to crack down on those who game the system: the employers abusing temporary foreign worker programs, the consultants promising Permanent Residency in exchange for cash, and the institutions profiting off international students without giving them a real opportunity.

We need to speak honestly about Canadian norms as an invitation to mutual respect. Holding doors open, apologizing for bumping into someone, respecting queues, and staying quiet in shared spaces are not just quirks. They are small social contracts that help us coexist.

Above all, we must restore hope. Because what is most corrosive right now is the sense, shared by many, that nothing will get better.

Building a Better Future Together

This is a pro-Canada argument: one that believes we can do better, by newcomers and long-time residents alike. We owe people honesty, support, and a chance to belong. Not endless paperwork, broken systems, and cold welcomes.

If you are reading this as a newcomer, know that most Canadians still want you here. We are not perfect, but many of us are trying. If you are a citizen watching your society strain under the weight of poor planning, your concerns are valid, but don't let them harden into American-style cruelty. Hold the right people accountable: the ones with power, not the ones seeking a better life.

We can have an immigration system that works for everyone. This is if we rebuild the foundation it rests on. Until then, let us speak honestly, act boldly, and care deeply.

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Canada’s story isn’t over yet, and we all have a role in shaping the next chapter.