Editor's Note (Election Day - April 28, 2025): Today, Canadians vote in the Federal Election 2025. The results will determine if Mark Carney and the Liberal Party will form the government and potentially implement the immigration vision detailed in this article.
AskAïa will be providing live analysis of the election results and their potential impact on Canadian immigration as they unfold throughout the day and evening. Follow our live coverage and expert analysis here: AskAïa's Live Election Results & Immigration Impact Analysis.
Mark Carney, a leading contender in the Liberal Party of Canada’s leadership race, has sharply criticized recent immigration policies, arguing they have exceeded Canada’s capacity for housing, healthcare, and social services. He advocates for a structured, economically driven immigration strategy that aligns with national absorption capacities while maintaining immigration as a key driver of growth.
Between 2021 and 2024, Canada’s population growth surged to 3% annually, doubling the historical average of 1.5%. This sharp increase, largely fueled by temporary immigration, created severe strain on housing, healthcare, and education systems. Carney argues that Canada’s infrastructure has not kept pace with the influx of newcomers, resulting in record-high rental costs, overburdened hospitals, and stretched public services.
Carney highlights structural flaws in temporary immigration policies, particularly:
Carney supports the federal government’s objective to lower the percentage of temporary residents from 6.2% in 2024 to 5% by 2027. His policy recommendations include:
Carney proposes a data-driven immigration strategy where yearly intake targets are adjusted based on:
Carney supports a revamped points-based system to improve economic integration. His proposed adjustments include:
Mark Carney’s immigration stance aligns with centrist leaders like Jean Charest and Christine Elliott, emphasizing a data-driven approach that ties immigration levels to housing availability, labor market needs, and public service capacity. He supports a strategic, sector-specific intake to ensure that immigration remains an economic asset rather than a strain on national resources. His focus on regional workforce planning mirrors Chrystia Freeland’s housing plan, which links immigration to housing supply to ease infrastructure pressures.
At the same time, Carney critiques both Justin Trudeau’s expansive immigration policy and Pierre Poilievre’s restrictive stance. He argues that Trudeau’s approach failed to anticipate infrastructure bottlenecks, leading to housing crises and overstretched public services. Conversely, he opposes Poilievre’s proposed immigration cuts, warning that they could stifle economic growth and worsen labor shortages. Carney’s vision positions immigration as a carefully managed tool for economic stability, balancing national capacity with long-term prosperity.
Mark Carney advocates for a recalibrated immigration system that balances growth with economic capacity. His approach prioritizes targeted reductions in temporary immigration, infrastructure-linked intake planning, and stricter economic selection criteria. If implemented, his policy could redefine Canada’s immigration strategy, ensuring both sustainable integration and long-term economic stability.
Curious about how these policy shifts could affect your immigration plans? Take a free assessment with AskAïa to explore your best immigration options.