Canada finds itself at a crossroads, grappling with the intersecting challenges of a housing crisis and an influx of migrants. The nation’s housing market has been under strain for years, characterized by soaring prices, limited availability, and increased homelessness in various urban centers. Simultaneously, the Trudeau government’s act of substantial intake of migrants seeking refuge has sparked debates. Concerns are being raised about the nation’s capacity to accommodate both existing residents and newcomers.
The clash of Canada’s housing woes with the surge of Ukrainian refugees seeking sanctuary has injected a fresh twist into the nation’s ongoing challenges. When Russia’s aggression struck Ukraine in 2022, Canada swiftly unfurled the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET), welcoming over 210,000 fleeing Ukrainians seeking respite.
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But here’s the kicker: a whopping majority aren’t keen on a temporary stay.
According to Pathfinders for Ukraine, an outfit aiding displaced Ukrainians, most are eyeing Canada for a more permanent gig, shying away from thoughts of returning to their conflict-ravaged homeland. This wave of hopeful settlers, while humanitarian at heart, adds serious strain to Canada’s housing chaos and social blending hurdles, turning up the heat on the nation’s balancing act between local needs and a surging tide of newcomers yearning for a new home.
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Figures from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada reveal that an additional 726,000 Ukrainians have received approval to migrate to Canada but have yet to exercise this opportunity. Pathfinders’ survey of 1,200 Ukrainian families, roughly 3,600 individuals displaced by the conflict, conducted from September 5-12, indicated a resounding 90% desire for permanent residency. Even if the conflict ceased immediately, the survey unveiled that 79% of respondents would opt to remain in Canada. These findings, detailing the strong inclination toward permanence among displaced Ukrainian families, were formally presented to Immigration Minister Marc Miller in October, marking a substantive insight into the preferences of this displaced cohort.
Ottawa is now planning to extend the program and create a specific pathway for Ukrainians displaced by war to acquire permanent resident status, as they do not easily meet the criteria for federal or provincial economic migrant programs.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has told Canada and other Western countries that he wants Ukrainians displaced by the war to return home once the war is over to rebuild the shattered economy.
Mr. Miller said the issue of returning Ukrainians has not been addressed “head on” by the government yet – and this is not the time to do so.
“There are a lot of considerations,” he said. “They will become more pressing as the months go on.”
Moreover, Ukrainians have rights in Canada and would not be forced to return to a conflict zone.
While Norway and Switzerland’s governments are providing incentives for Ukrainian refugees to return home by offering financial support, the Canadian government, in contrast, is encouraging Ukrainians not to return and to seek a permanent safe haven in Canada.
Since the war started, about 5,600 have moved to Saskatchewan.
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The provincial government has adjusted its immigration nominee program and now prioritizes Ukrainian applications. Ukrainians with CUAET visas also pay domestic tuition fees rather than the higher rates for international students.
“In November, 2023, the province made it possible for more displaced Ukrainians to settle permanently in Saskatchewan by expanding eligibility requirements under the Existing Work Permit stream of the SINP,” said Nipun Taneja, a spokesperson for Saskatchewan’s Immigration Ministry.
The Trudeau government’s approach to the migrant crisis has raised concerns, with critics arguing that rather than addressing the escalating situation, it appears to be exacerbating it by extending what some perceive as a “free pass” to Ukrainian refugees.
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