ANALYSIS: Taboo on Immigration Talk Slowly Lifting as Housing Remains Hot Political Issue

“Supply, supply, supply” has been the mantra of Liberals and Conservatives to address the housing crisis. However, both have now started to talk more openly about the impact immigration is having on the demand side of the equation. While the Liberals have remained publicly committed to their regular immigration targets, they’ve recently admitted that temporary forms of immigration, especially those pertaining to international students, are “out of control.” The government brought in measures this week to reduce the number of foreign students allowed to enter Canada, suggesting the new limits could help reduce pressure on housing in some communities. The two main political parties consider immigration a growth engine, a historical trait for Canada, and a fact of life in the context of falling birth rates. It’s also a sizeable source of votes that neither party wants to alienate....