Canadians trust Conservatives most to fix immigration: poll
A new poll reveals nearly half of Canadians still hold a negative view on immigration, and they trust the Conservative party most to fix the system.
A new poll reveals nearly half of Canadians still hold a negative view on immigration, and they trust the Conservative party most to fix the system.
Canadians continue to view immigration negatively, though sentiment appears to be stabilizing, according to an Abacus Data poll conducted in late October.
The poll of 2,922 Canadians, weighted to reflect census data, found that 49 per cent hold negative views on immigration, a one per cent decrease from the previous year. This suggests a stabilization in opinion after several years of increasing negative perception. Just over a quarter of respondents expressed positive views, with another quarter remaining neutral.
Conservative supporters remain the most likely to view the government’s immigration policies negatively, at 68 per cent. However, 39 per cent of Liberal voters also reported negative views.
When asked which party is best equipped to manage immigration, 38 per cent of respondents chose the Conservatives, while 29 per cent favoured the Liberals.
A majority of Canadians, 67 per cent, believe Canada’s 2026 immigration targets are “too high,” a slight decrease from 72 per cent in 2024. Of these, 44 per cent said the targets are “way too high,” and 23 per cent said they are “just too high.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s federal budget, delivered eight months late and reporting a $78.3 billion deficit, outlined his immigration targets for the next five years. The budget projects 385,000 new temporary workers and international students next year, and at least 2.2 million newcomers over the next three years.
The majority of Canadians also believe immigration negatively affects access to resources and services. The poll shows 69 per cent believe it impacts housing costs and availability, 60 per cent cite healthcare, 58 per cent social services, and 60 per cent traffic.
When asked why the immigration system is not working effectively, 51 per cent cited insufficient housing and infrastructure, 47 per cent pointed to social services, and 38 per cent stated there are “just too many newcomers at once.”
Abacus Data reports that a comparable probability-based random sample of the same size would have a margin of error no greater than 1.8 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
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