One of the hot topics in politics this year will be immigration. The government plans to welcome 485,000 new permanent residents this year—roughly 1.2 per cent of the current population—and 500,000 in both 2025 and 2026. The goal is to boost the economy, fill labour shortages and compensate for Canada’s lagging fertility rate. The problem, critics say, is that Canada doesn’t have the housing, public resources or resettlement services to absorb that many newcomers in such a short period of time. But Immigration Minister Marc Miller insists that the influx of new Canadians is essential to solve deeply entrenched problems like the housing crisis: the government’s intention is to bring in the kinds of skilled workers who can build new housing stock.
You can expect immigration issues to dominate the headlines in 2024. That’s why we included it in our list of the top 10 stories in politics in our 2024 Year Ahead Issue. The issue is chock full of top 10 lists. If you want to know the most important things that are about to happen in business, health care, culture, sports, housing and more, this is where to find them. We provide insights into new cancer treatments, workplace trends, the vicissitudes of the economy and more. Poring through Maclean’s top 10 predictions is the best way to get ahead of news and be ready for what the future holds.
—Sarah Fulford, editor-in-chief
