In early July, immigration was identified by nine per cent of Canadians as the most important issue facing the country. Concerns about immigration reached double digits among Canadians who are members of Generation Z (16 per cent), Conservative Party voters in this year’s federal election (14 per cent), Quebecers (10 per cent) and those in the middle income bracket (also 10 per cent).

The issue is gaining prominence among seemingly disjointed groups of would-be voters. The federal Conservatives performed poorly in Quebec but are aching to win back the middle-class vote and solidify the connection established with young Canadians on issues such as housing. It was not surprising, then, to see Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre recently call for “very hard caps” on the number of immigrants allowed into Canada.

At first glance, our latest look at the perceptions of Canadians on immigration shows little change from our previous survey in 2024. The country can be split in two camps: Those who believe immigration is having a “mostly positive” effect in the country (43 per cent, up one........

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