A meeting of the governors of the provinces of Canada was held in Winnipeg this week to discuss priorities in common. As per the discussion, Canada’s premiers seek Quebec-style immigration control.
Several issues were brought to the Premier’s attention, which require immediate attention. Immigration plays a key role in three of them.
- Addressing housing needs
- Building a strong labor force
- Improving health care
In an effort to foster links between provincial and federal governments and to increase interprovincial and territorial cooperation, the Premiers have met yearly since 2003 as part of the Council of the Federation.
Strengthening the labor force
Provinces and territories are best positioned to handle their expanding economies and labor markets, they said. Also, it involves increasing international hiring, recognizing credentials, and developing skills.
As part of their plea to the federal government to assist their individual initiatives for filling skills shortages through immigration, the Premiers claim to have asked:
- Streamlining existing pathways and expediting application processing to address specific labor market needs, including prompt issuance of work permits.
- Enhancing the role of provincial and territorial Nominee Programs to increase their share in selecting economic immigrants.
- Granting provinces and territories greater responsibility and involvement in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
- Collaborating with provinces and territories to develop new immigration pathways that align with local labor market demands.
Premiers have also urged the federal government to sign accords with provincial governments which are substantively equivalent to the Canada-Quebec Accord. Quebec, as a result of this agreement, is now free to choose all economic immigrants and set its own immigration policies.
The majority of provinces and territories have their own PNPs, with the exception of Quebec and Nunavut. A certain number of nominations are received by each province and territory through these PNPs, which they may then distribute to the candidates they believe will be most helpful to their economy and workforce.
Canada’s premiers seek Quebec-style immigration control – Healthcare
As part of their commitment to improving citizens’ access to qualified healthcare workers, provinces say they are taking additional steps. It is the provinces and territories’ responsibility to recruit, train, and retain healthcare professionals. Furthermore, according to the provinces, additional steps should be taken to simplify credential recognition and licensing for foreign educated medical professionals.
A petition to the federal government will allow the provinces to boost funding, hire more healthcare professionals, and enhance healthcare for Canadians. As a result of last year’s summit, the provinces have increased the health budget by $196 billion over ten years and have allocated an additional $46.2 billion for funding.
Affordable Housing
As many as 500,000 new permanent residents will be moving to Canada by the end of 2025. However, affordable housing is currently in short supply. Also, in an effort to make housing more affordable, the Premiers have proposed several ideas. The following actions are suggested:
- Enhance financial commitment to housing, including increased support services, operational funding, capital funding, and incentives for new supply creation.
- Direct funding through provinces and territories instead of municipalities.
- Ensure flexibility, sufficient funding, and alignment with the unique needs and priorities of provinces and territories in housing programs.
- Streamline approval processes and program management through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
- Revise tax policies to incentivize the development and preservation of purpose-built rental properties, promoting new housing options.
Due to the rising cost of living in Canada, these actions are considered necessary. A 25 basis point increase in the overnight interest rate was actually seen in Canada on July 12th. Bank of Canada officials believe these rate increases are necessary to reduce expenditures and decrease inflation.
A rise in interest rates makes borrowing money from other financial institutions more expensive for banks (such as the Bank of Canada), which is then passed on to customers who require loans such as mortgages.
Enhanced program for Ukrainians affected by displacement
Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program application deadline of July 15 is quickly approaching, the Premiers noted. Moreover, Ukrainians in Canada have said they are not getting enough money or help from the federal government. And they are calling for a new financial arrangement to improve support programs.
