Canadians who supported the Liberals and the New Democrats in 2021 are more likely to feel this way than Conservative voters.
Vancouver, BC [February 15, 2022] – A majority of Canadians hold favourable views on immigration, although some political and regional disparities persist, a new Research Co. poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 54% of Canadians think immigration is having a mostly positive effect in the country, unchanged since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in December 2020.
Just over one-in-four Canadians (26%, -4) think immigration is having a mostly negative effect, while 19% (+3) are not sure.
Majorities of Canadians who reside in Ontario (58%), Quebec (56%), Alberta (also 56%), Atlantic Canada (54%) and British Columbia (also 51%) hold favourable views on immigration.
In Saskatchewan and Manitoba, 40% of residents think immigration is having a mostly positive effect in Canada, while 39% believe it is having a mostly negative effect.
Almost seven-in-ten Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party in the 2021 federal election (69%) think immigration is having a mostly positive effect in Canada, compared to 60% among those who supported the New Democratic Party (NDP) and 46% among those who cast ballots for Conservative Party candidates.
Just under two-in-five Canadians (39%, -4) think the number of legal immigrants who are allowed to relocate in Canada should remain the same, while 25% (+8) would increase this amount and 25% (-7) would decrease it.
“More than a third of Quebecers (36%) are in favour of allowing a larger number of immigrants to settle in Canada,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Conversely, 36% of residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba call for a reduction in immigration levels.”
Three-in-four Canadians (75%, =) believe the hard work and talent of immigrants makes Canada better, and practically two thirds (65%, =) believe immigrants should only be allowed in Canada if they adopt Canadian values.
Canadians who voted for the Conservatives in the 2021 federal election are more likely to call for newcomers to Canada to adopt Canadian values (80%) than those who cast ballots for the Liberals (65%) or the New Democrats (55%).
Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted on February 6 and February 7, 2022, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.
Find our data tables here and download the press release here.
For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca