Immigration crisis demands immediate action: Minister Schow

Posted on August 21, 2025 by admin

“The federal government has lost control of sustainable immigration in Canada. Despite promises from Prime Minister Mark Carney to restore sustainable levels, Canada is on pace to receive more than one million new temporary and permanent immigrants this year, not including the almost three million temporary residents already in the country.”

“Each year, the federal government sets immigration targets while provincial governments are responsible for the majority of supports including health care, housing and education. Unfortunately, the decisions regarding immigration targets are often made without proper consideration of provincial needs or priorities. When it comes to immigration, Albertans simply want transparency, honesty and sustainability, all of which have been lost under this federal government.”

“At the same time, it is estimated that there are up to 500,000 illegal immigrants currently spread across Canada, all of whom are benefiting from taxpayer-funded services. As the federal government determines immigration targets for next year, these illegal migrants are not being accounted for. This means that the numbers being reported to Canadians are inaccurate. These illegal migrants must be taken into account, as every province is feeling the pressure of Ottawa’s mismanagement of the immigration system.”

“Alberta has led the country in population growth rates, increasing by 4.36 per cent last year, ahead of Ontario at 3.21 per cent and B.C. at 3.02 per cent. Most of that growth has come from international migration, along with the highest levels of interprovincial migration in Canada. Employment, housing, health care and other public services are under pressure due to Canada’s open border policy, and the strain will only get worse if immigration is not brought under control.” 

“As Prime Minister Carney admitted in April, ‘the system isn’t working.’ He must keep his promise to cap immigration and fix the system. Nowhere is the strain more obvious than in Alberta, where record population growth is being felt in communities provincewide. It is time to regain control of our borders, protect the services Canadians rely on, and restore trust in our immigration system.”

Joseph Schow

Cardston-Siksika MLA

Minister of Jobs,
Economy, Trade and Immigration