Feds plan to boost immigration to grow economy

The Chamber has been a vocal advocate for increased immigration as Vancouver Island is facing a severe labour shortage over the next decade. On Oct. 30, the federal government announced an ambitious increase to immigration levels to try and make up for the low number of new arrivals this year.

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s Minister Marco Mendicino said Canada will bring in 401,000 immigrants next year, 411,000 in 2022 and 421,000 in 2023.

"It’s difficult to predict exactly how many newcomers will arrive in the Capital Region over the next three years," the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria says in its latest newsletter. "Usually, we see roughly 2,000 annually."

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is calling on government to ensure new arrivals to Canada are a match for sectors that need workers. The pandemic has skewed the unemployment rate, though the fundamental concerns will likely still be there after the economy recovers.