Nearly half of Canadians say immigration is changing the country in ways they don’t like, according to internal federal research that underscores rising public dissatisfaction even as Ottawa moves to scale back intake levels.Blacklock's Reporter says the in-house survey by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada found 48% of respondents agreed immigration is reshaping Canada negatively, while 66% said newcomers need to do more to integrate into society. The findings come as Immigration Minister Lena Diab has pledged to “take back control” of the system through reduced quotas.The 2025–2026 tracking survey also found 63% of Canadians believe immigration is placing too much pressure on public services, and 59% said the country should prioritize unemployed Canadians over recruiting skilled immigrants.Public confidence in the system appears shaky, with 41% of respondents saying the department is not effective at selecting immigrants who will contribute positively to Canada.Regional results show concern is widespread. A majority in Ontario (53%) and Alberta (52%) said immigration is changing the country in ways they dislike, along with 50% in Manitoba. In Toronto, dissatisfaction was even higher at 58%..When asked about overall immigration levels, 60% of Canadians said the country is accepting too many newcomers. That figure climbed to 65% in Alberta and Manitoba, 64% in Ontario and 62% in Saskatchewan.Even when respondents were told Canada plans to admit 380,000 permanent residents in 2026 — roughly 1% of the population — 51% still said the number was too high.Concerns cited by respondents focused heavily on affordability and services. Housing shortages were the most frequently mentioned issue at 20%, followed by job competition at 17%, conflicting values at 11%, street violence at 11% and health care pressures at 9%. Some respondents also said “we don’t need any more immigrants” or that Canadians should be prioritized.Overall, 42% said immigration has had a negative impact on their province, while 30% reported a negative personal impact..The research, based on responses from 2,260 people and conducted by Léger Marketing, cost $98,820 and was finalized December 3, shortly after the federal government announced reduced immigration targets in its November budget.That budget, branded “Canada Strong,” emphasized restoring public confidence in the system. Diab reiterated that message in February remarks, saying the government’s mandate includes lowering the number of temporary residents and stabilizing permanent admissions.Despite Canada’s longstanding reputation as a welcoming country, the survey suggests that sentiment may be softening. One in five respondents said they are not proud of that reputation, while another 21% said they had no opinion.
