Majorities of Albertans and Ontarians think immigration is having mostly negative effect in the country.
Vancouver, BC [January 29, 2026] – Only a third of Canadians currently hold favourable views on immigration, a new Research Co. poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 34% of Canadians think immigration is having a mostly positive effect in Canada, down nine points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in July 2025.
Almost half of Canadians (48%, +9) say immigration is having a mostly negative effect in the country.
“In February 2022, only 26% of Canadians described immigration in a negative light,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportion has jumped to 48% in the first month of 2026.”
More than half of Canadians who reside in Ontario (53%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (52%) and Alberta (51%) think immigration is having a mostly negative effect in Canada. The numbers are lower in British Columbia (43%), Atlantic Canada (also 43%) and Quebec (39%).
Positive perceptions on immigration reach 37% among Baby Boomers in Canada. Fewer members of Generation Z (35%), Millennials (also 35%) and Generation X (29%) share this view.
As was the case last year, more than two-in-five Canadians (42%, +1) believe it is time for the number of legal immigrants who are allowed to relocate in Canada to decrease, while more than a third (35%, +1) would keep the current levels and 13% (-3) support an increase.
A drop in legal immigration is backed by 28% (-2) of Canadians aged 18-to-34, but rises to 44% (+4) among those aged 35-to-54, and to 53% (+2) among those aged 55 and over.
Canadians remain torn when asked to choose between two distinct concepts to manage immigration.
More than two-in-five Canadians (43%, -1) prefer the melting pot, where immigrants assimilate and blend into Canadian society. A slightly smaller proportion (41%, +1) select the mosaic, where cultural differences within Canadian society are considered valuable and worth preserving.
Millennials across Canada prefer the mosaic over the melting pot (44% to 39%), while Generation X is practically tied when assessing the two concepts (Melting Pot 44%, Mosaic 43%). Both Baby Boomers and Generation Z pick the melting pot over the mosaic (49% to 39% and 42% to 35%, respectively).
More than three-in-five Canadians (63%, -5) say the hard work and talent of immigrants makes Canada better.
More than seven-in-ten Canadians wo voted for the Liberal Party (79%) or the New Democratic Party (NDP) (72%) in last year’s federal election agree with the statement, compared to only 55% among those who cast ballots for Conservative Party candidates.
Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from January 11 to January 13, 2026, among a representative sample of 1,001 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region Canada. 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