DAN ALBAS: Undercounting the number of visitors remaining here in Canada may distort the actual demands on housing
Recently, you may have seen a headline stating, “Non-permanent residents in Canada undercounted by one million: CIBC.” My office has received a few inquiries on this topic, as some citizens have expressed concern. For those unfamiliar with how the Canadian immigration process works, there is often confusion when a headline like this arises. People from all over the world come to Canada for various reasons. Some of the most common reasons include international students coming here to study, short-term visitors, and temporary foreign workers who often work in agriculture on our local farms in our region. Generally, these visitors to Canada are known as “Non-Permanent Residents” (NPR) even though they may be visiting Canada under a different type of VISA, permit, or program. Refugees claiming asylum also fall into this category. The recent headlines have arisen due to the chief economist from the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) stating that Statistics Canada ...