Canada to think about caps on worldwide research permits as housing disaster grows

Article content material

Canada is trying to crack down on unscrupulous colleges which are cashing in on the massive bucks of worldwide pupil tuition charges with out placing any thought into the place these college students are going to stay, Housing Minister Sean Fraser mentioned Monday.

He was talking in Charlottetown simply earlier than the primary session of a three-day Liberal cupboard retreat the place the nation’s worsening housing disaster is predicted to dominate discussions.

Article content material

Article content material

Fraser acknowledged the housing disaster is a posh downside rooted in many years of underinvestment, notably in social housing, by earlier Liberal and Conservative governments alike. However he mentioned one space that wants quick consideration is the explosive development in worldwide college students recruited to Canada in recent times.

Fraser mentioned placing a cap on these enrolments is an choice, however first the federal government has to satisfy with the colleges to take a look at what function they will play to alleviate the stress on housing. He was cautious to say not all colleges are a part of the issue.

“While you see tales in regards to the exploitation of worldwide college students with some establishments, if I could be utterly candid, that I’m satisfied have come to exist purely to revenue off the backs of weak worldwide college students somewhat than present high quality schooling to the long run everlasting residents and residents of Canada,” Fraser mentioned.

He mentioned it’s a must to ask “some fairly powerful questions” when colleges that have already got “5 to 6 instances as many college students enrolled as they’ve areas for” in pupil housing proceed to recruit and enhance enrolments.

Article content material

Article content material

In 2014, Canada set a goal to extend worldwide pupil enrolment from about 240,000 to greater than 450,000 by 2022. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada reported that there have been greater than 807,000 worldwide research allow holders in Canada in December.

That got here after a pointy spike in permits: 541,405 new permits have been issued in 2022, up 24 per cent from 2021.
The annual end-of-summer cupboard retreat is at all times designed to assist the federal government’s entrance bench crew set its priorities for the upcoming fall sitting of Parliament, which begins Sept. 18.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has signalled housing will likely be on the forefront of that agenda.

In Ottawa, Conservative Chief Pierre Poilievre blamed the federal government for the sky-high housing prices, saying Trudeau is spending huge quantities of cash with out tangible outcomes.

“Now he desires Canadians to neglect all that and blame immigrants; he desires to divide individuals to distract from his failings,” Poilievre informed reporters on Parliament Hill.

Poilievre wouldn’t say whether or not he would decrease immigration ranges, and as a substitute mentioned that Ottawa must crack down on slow-moving municipal bureaucracies that make it tougher to begin development tasks.

Article content material

Fraser mentioned total “we’ve got to be actually, actually cautious” to not blame immigrants for Canada’s housing disaster, and he dismissed Poilievre’s criticism totally.

He mentioned the issues the Conservatives are calling for — like funding new housing close to public transit — are issues the Liberals have campaigned on and labored towards for years.

The federal government will spend a part of the time contemplating a brand new report co-authored by three nationwide specialists on housing and homelessness, which made 10 suggestions on particular issues the federal authorities can do to alleviate housing pressures.

That features eliminating federal gross sales taxes on the development of housing models constructed particularly to be leases, and to play a management function in creating a brand new nationwide housing accord with different ranges of presidency, for-profit builders and not-for-profit housing businesses.

Two of the authors will transient cupboard on that report Tuesday in Charlottetown, and Fraser mentioned that briefing has to occur and cupboard must dive deeper into the problem earlier than it commits to enacting all 10 suggestions.
Past housing, local weather change and the “apocalyptic devastation” from wildfires this summer season may also play closely into the conversations over the following 48 hours in Prince Edward Island, Trudeau mentioned Monday.

Article content material

Earlier than the total cupboard met Monday night, he convened one other session of the federal government’s incident response group to remain on high of the emergency conditions in British Columbia and Northwest Territories.

“It is a scary and heartbreaking time for individuals,” Trudeau mentioned.

About 50,000 individuals in B.C. and N.W.T. are underneath evacuation orders, and hundreds extra on standby to probably flee as flames close to houses in locations together with Kelowna and Yellowknife.

Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan, who represents a Vancouver driving within the Home of Commons, attended the assembly and the retreat remotely. He’s staying in B.C. to assist with the response to the fires.

This has by far been Canada’s worst fireplace season on document. Greater than 5,800 recorded fires have burned 141,000 sq. kilometres, an space larger in dimension than all of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island put collectively.

Greater than 1,000 fires are nonetheless burning throughout Canada, and 60 per cent of them are in B.C. and N.W.T.

That is simply the second time this model of Trudeau’s cupboard is assembly since he made main modifications in a shuffle in July. There are seven new faces on the desk, and 19 others, together with Fraser, are in new roles.

Article content material

The retreat can also be Trudeau’s first public appearances since he and his spouse, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, introduced they’d be separating after 18 years of marriage. The 2 spent 10 days in British Columbia with their kids: Xavier, 15, Ella-Grace, 14, and Hadrien, 9.

Trudeau thanked Canadians for being generously respectful of the household’s privateness, saying it made issues simpler for them.

“I obtained a very good 10 days with the household to concentrate on the youngsters, to concentrate on being collectively and shifting ahead,” he mentioned.

Our web site is the place for the most recent breaking information, unique scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and join our every day e-newsletter, Posted, right here.

Article content material