OMNI poll: The majority of recent immigrants believe they are being unfairly held responsible for the housing issue
El-Chidiac suggests that if politicians were serious about solving the crisis, they would focus on increasing housing supply.
As Canada's housing affordability crisis worsens, many immigrants feel unfairly blamed for the issue, even as they themselves struggle to achieve home ownership.
A poll conducted by Leger for OMNI revealed that nearly 70% of new Canadians believe politicians are using immigration as a "red herring" to divert attention from other causes of the housing shortage, such as government policies and economic factors.
Although the federal government plans to reduce the share of temporary residents from 6.5% to 5% of the population, a housing expert argues that high immigration numbers don't necessarily correlate with rising housing costs.
Prentiss Dantzler, Director of the Housing Justice Lab at the University of Toronto, notes that areas with larger immigrant populations are often scapegoated for the housing crisis. He emphasizes that the crisis is longstanding and that the real issue lies in the housing system itself.
Dantzler also highlights that much of the housing stock is being bought by private equity firms rather than individuals, which results in a lack of diversity in housing options.
Sabine El-Chidiac, from the Consumer Choice Center, believes the solution is to build more homes. She argues that politicians are scapegoating immigrants while ignoring the fact that their policies have contributed to the housing shortage.
El-Chidiac suggests that if politicians were serious about solving the crisis, they would focus on increasing housing supply.
In response to the poll, Immigration Minister Marc Miller acknowledged that the high number of temporary residents has played a role in the affordability crisis, although the extent of its impact is debatable.
He criticized provincial leaders for blaming immigrants for societal problems.
Dantzler also warned that political scapegoating is a common tactic, but Canada’s identity as a nation of immigrants should take precedence in discussions about home ownership and the housing crisis.
Janice, an immigrant from China, is waiting for permanent residency before buying a condo and believes that reduced immigration will eventually lower housing prices.
The OMNI-Leger poll found that 85% of immigrants consider home ownership part of the Canadian Dream, but many feel it is becoming increasingly unattainable.
Nearly half of respondents doubted that home ownership is possible for all immigrants, and 30% of renters believe they will never be able to buy a home.
Pietropaolo Frisoni, a recent immigrant from Italy, describes home prices as "appalling" and views home ownership as a near-impossible dream for immigrants.
He noted that while earlier generations of immigrants had an easier time becoming citizens and buying homes, today's newcomers face greater challenges.
Overall, 54% of immigrants feel they are being wrongly blamed for the housing crisis, with the sentiment particularly strong among renters, younger immigrants, and those who have been in Canada for less than six years.
The OMNI-Leger poll was conducted online with 1,500 non-Canadian-born respondents, with a margin of error of 2.5%, 19 times out of 20.
