The federal government’s decision to scale back immigration and temporary worker targets has sparked concerns about its potential impact on Brampton’s workforce and local businesses, according to Brampton City Councillor Gurpartap Singh Toor.
With annual immigration targets reduced from 500,000 to 395,000 in 2025 and 380,000 in 2026, and efforts underway to cap temporary residents to 5% of Canada’s population, Councillor Toor has warned of significant implications for Brampton’s economy.
“It’s crucial to have a roundtable discussion to understand the impact of these immigration changes on Brampton businesses, particularly the labour market,” Toor said during a Brampton City Council session on Wednesday.
To address these challenges, Toor introduced a motion calling for the city’s Economic Development Office and the Brampton Board of Trade to convene a roundtable with business leaders and government officials. The session aims to identify specific immigration challenges faced by local businesses and propose actionable solutions. Findings from the roundtable will be compiled into a report to be presented to City Council early next year.
Labour Market and Workforce Challenges
Statistics Canada data reveals that as of 2021, Brampton had 47,465 temporary workers and welcomed over 50,000 immigrants between 2016 and 2021. With over 52% of Brampton’s population born outside Canada, the city holds the third-largest immigrant population in Ontario and the fifth-largest in Canada.
Recent protests in Brampton, organized by international students and the Naujawan Support Network, have also highlighted the challenges facing temporary residents. Demonstrators have called for extensions of post-graduation work permits set to expire in 2024-2025, noting that more than 70,000 international students could lose their work opportunities due to permit expirations.
Activists claim that a backlog in permanent residency (PR) applications—some dating back to the pandemic—has left many temporary workers without a clear pathway to residency, raising concerns about the long-term impacts on Canada’s labour market.
Federal Response
Despite the mounting concerns, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to reducing the number of newcomers, citing the need to manage population growth and balance economic priorities.
Next Steps
Councillor Toor emphasized that collaboration between local businesses, the city, and federal officials is vital to mitigating the impacts of these changes. “The labour market is integral to Brampton’s economic vitality, and we must work together to ensure sustainable solutions,” he said.