Are Canada's immigration targets and numbers sustainable?
Jan 17th 2018, 9:04 pm
#91
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2013
Location: AB
Posts: 905
Re: Are Canada's immigration targets and numbers sustainable?
My view on this is that the well qualified well educated and employed Canadians probably couldn't care as long there isn't a queue at Tim Hortons in the morning, however, the uneducated, unqualified unemployed do, they see it as a threat to their livlyhoods.
Canada can comfortably expand its cities, even build new cities to accommodate more people in Canada, this in turn would keep the unwashed in employment. Language will always be the biggest hurdle for immigrants, inflation will be the problem for Canadians, once they have cracked this problem, the oyster opens. Skilled immigrants have generally already risen to the top of the food chain in their own country, when they take these skills to Canada, they have greater opportunity.
It is a brain drain for some countries, but a valuable resource for Canada. I recognize this may be uncomfortable reading for some, but it is my view from my ivory tower.
Canada can comfortably expand its cities, even build new cities to accommodate more people in Canada, this in turn would keep the unwashed in employment. Language will always be the biggest hurdle for immigrants, inflation will be the problem for Canadians, once they have cracked this problem, the oyster opens. Skilled immigrants have generally already risen to the top of the food chain in their own country, when they take these skills to Canada, they have greater opportunity.
It is a brain drain for some countries, but a valuable resource for Canada. I recognize this may be uncomfortable reading for some, but it is my view from my ivory tower.
Jan 17th 2018, 9:17 pm
#92
Best Place on Earth- LMAO
Joined: Dec 2004
Location: BC
Posts: 572
Re: Are Canada's immigration targets and numbers sustainable?
That's too fast. Public infrastructure and society in general wouldn't catch up. The Lower Mainland increased in population by about 150,000 over a 5 year period (2011-2016) which was faster than the national rate.
Jan 17th 2018, 9:22 pm
#93
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2013
Location: AB
Posts: 905
Re: Are Canada's immigration targets and numbers sustainable?
Vancouver has its own unique infrastructure problems and land restrictions, you could build another city between Calgary and Edmonton and it would have no impact on either city. Canada generally has room to expand its urban sprawl.
Jan 17th 2018, 9:30 pm
#94
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: Are Canada's immigration targets and numbers sustainable?
About a third of the Fraser Valley is in the US plus it's seismically active.
Jan 17th 2018, 9:32 pm
#95
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2014
Location: Done with condescending old hags
Posts: 1,194
Re: Are Canada's immigration targets and numbers sustainable?
Vancouver (ie, not the general agglomeration, just the city of 600k, similar to a London Borough) has population density of 5,492.6 people/square km (https://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quot.../t001a-eng.htm)
London (ie, all 600 square miles of the agglomeration, not just the central bit) has a population density of 5,491 people/square km (London's population high: Top metropolis facts - BBC News)
So, more like, 'the most densely populated part of Vancouver has a population density that's the average of London'.
London (ie, all 600 square miles of the agglomeration, not just the central bit) has a population density of 5,491 people/square km (London's population high: Top metropolis facts - BBC News)
So, more like, 'the most densely populated part of Vancouver has a population density that's the average of London'.
Jan 17th 2018, 9:35 pm
#96
Sidecar Falcon
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,504
Re: Are Canada's immigration targets and numbers sustainable?
Have you seen London bedsits lately ?! 
On geography, I meant to add that as Japan's population declines, then some of the residential space is freed up. There was an article recently about the increasing phenomenon of Japanese "ghost houses and villages" where elderly Japanese have to abandon their homes because they can't cope and there is no population regeneration in some rural parts. Isn't their population expected to halve in 50 years? It's some significant figure.
On geography, I meant to add that as Japan's population declines, then some of the residential space is freed up. There was an article recently about the increasing phenomenon of Japanese "ghost houses and villages" where elderly Japanese have to abandon their homes because they can't cope and there is no population regeneration in some rural parts. Isn't their population expected to halve in 50 years? It's some significant figure.
I have personally attended a roadshow where one prefecture was trying to encourage migration from Tokyo through discounted housing and tax breaks. They seemed quite happy to have me and I'm a gaijin (albeit one with a Japanese other half). I can't see them ever taking that kind of campaign overseas though like New Zealand and others do. Japan just doesn't work that way.
A reduction in Japan's population size might not be completely terrible anyway as long as you have the right economic reforms to go with it. It is a massively overpopulated country at the moment, as anybody who has ever taken the Yamanote Line even during off peak hours will testify.
Last edited by DigitalGhost; Jan 17th 2018 at 9:45 pm.
Jan 17th 2018, 9:38 pm
#97
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: Are Canada's immigration targets and numbers sustainable?
There are already fights going on over taking water out of Lake Superior for example and water use rights in Alberta are a huge issue. Look at how hard it was to get water to the mall in Balzac, that took years and years of negotiation, and that's just a shopping mall.
Last edited by Steve_; Jan 17th 2018 at 9:40 pm.
Jan 17th 2018, 9:38 pm
#98
Sidecar Falcon
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,504
Re: Are Canada's immigration targets and numbers sustainable?
Toronto already has a massive commuter belt surrounding it and high commuting costs or expensive downtown parking to boot.
Jan 17th 2018, 9:54 pm
#99
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2013
Location: AB
Posts: 905
Re: Are Canada's immigration targets and numbers sustainable?
No it doesn't. There already is a city between Calgary and Edmonton, it's called: "Red Deer" and there are tight limits to how much water you can take out of the Red Deer river, because it's the main source of water for agriculture in central Alberta. Especially given the continuing aridification of Alberta and the declining size of the glaciers in the Rockies.
There are already fights going on over taking water out of Lake Superior for example and water use rights in Alberta are a huge issue. Look at how hard it was to get water to the mall in Balzac, that took years and years of negotiation, and that's just a shopping mall.
There are already fights going on over taking water out of Lake Superior for example and water use rights in Alberta are a huge issue. Look at how hard it was to get water to the mall in Balzac, that took years and years of negotiation, and that's just a shopping mall.
Jan 17th 2018, 10:29 pm
#100
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 79
Re: Are Canada's immigration targets and numbers sustainable?
Speaking of water shortages, surely you could build more reservoirs? Most of it gets enough water/snow during the rest of the year.... on a smaller scale we noticed very few water butts while in B.C and lots of people moaning about their dying lawns...
Jan 17th 2018, 10:35 pm
#101
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 962
Re: Are Canada's immigration targets and numbers sustainable?
My opinion is that just because I country can expand, that doesn't mean it should.
People are generally emigrating from densely populated countries to less densely populated countries. For all of the advantages that population density brings, I do feel that there is a critical mass of people in which government feels distant, communities don't exist and quality of life decreases.
In my eyes the perpetual drive for endless growth isn't a good thing, and is in fact probably the worst aspect of modern society. If a town has 10,000 people, why does it have to have more? Why do the sparsely populated areas have to be populated.
Surely at a time of dwindling resources, massively negative environmental impacts, warnings of irreversible change. We should be concentrating on reducing our environmental footprint, not infinitely expanding it through population growth.
People are generally emigrating from densely populated countries to less densely populated countries. For all of the advantages that population density brings, I do feel that there is a critical mass of people in which government feels distant, communities don't exist and quality of life decreases.
In my eyes the perpetual drive for endless growth isn't a good thing, and is in fact probably the worst aspect of modern society. If a town has 10,000 people, why does it have to have more? Why do the sparsely populated areas have to be populated.
Surely at a time of dwindling resources, massively negative environmental impacts, warnings of irreversible change. We should be concentrating on reducing our environmental footprint, not infinitely expanding it through population growth.
Jan 17th 2018, 10:37 pm
#102
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Are Canada's immigration targets and numbers sustainable?
Politics, not impossible to do though. You take water, use it, treat it and return it to the river. I could look to see the population of red deer, but I won't bother, I wonder if it would qualify as a small town in uk, it is still 100 miles to either Calgary or Edmonton. Balzac will be the next burb of Calgary and then it will be Ardrie, the rapid growth along the qe2 is astonishing.
Jan 17th 2018, 10:45 pm
#103
Sidecar Falcon
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,504
Re: Are Canada's immigration targets and numbers sustainable?
I'm not sure that's completely true. It might be the case for Indians and Europeans moving to the New World economies but most migration that takes place in Asia and Africa is towards the more densely populated countries and megacities.
Jan 17th 2018, 10:47 pm
#104
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2013
Location: AB
Posts: 905
Re: Are Canada's immigration targets and numbers sustainable?
My opinion is that just because I country can expand, that doesn't mean it should.
People are generally emigrating from densely populated countries to less densely populated countries. For all of the advantages that population density brings, I do feel that there is a critical mass of people in which government feels distant, communities don't exist and quality of life decreases.
In my eyes the perpetual drive for endless growth isn't a good thing, and is in fact probably the worst aspect of modern society. If a town has 10,000 people, why does it have to have more? Why do the sparsely populated areas have to be populated.
Surely at a time of dwindling resources, massively negative environmental impacts, warnings of irreversible change. We should be concentrating on reducing our environmental footprint, not infinitely expanding it through population growth.
People are generally emigrating from densely populated countries to less densely populated countries. For all of the advantages that population density brings, I do feel that there is a critical mass of people in which government feels distant, communities don't exist and quality of life decreases.
In my eyes the perpetual drive for endless growth isn't a good thing, and is in fact probably the worst aspect of modern society. If a town has 10,000 people, why does it have to have more? Why do the sparsely populated areas have to be populated.
Surely at a time of dwindling resources, massively negative environmental impacts, warnings of irreversible change. We should be concentrating on reducing our environmental footprint, not infinitely expanding it through population growth.
Jan 17th 2018, 10:51 pm
#105
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 79
Re: Are Canada's immigration targets and numbers sustainable?
My opinion is that just because I country can expand, that doesn't mean it should.
People are generally emigrating from densely populated countries to less densely populated countries. For all of the advantages that population density brings, I do feel that there is a critical mass of people in which government feels distant, communities don't exist and quality of life decreases.
In my eyes the perpetual drive for endless growth isn't a good thing, and is in fact probably the worst aspect of modern society. If a town has 10,000 people, why does it have to have more? Why do the sparsely populated areas have to be populated.
Surely at a time of dwindling resources, massively negative environmental impacts, warnings of irreversible change. We should be concentrating on reducing our environmental footprint, not infinitely expanding it through population growth.
People are generally emigrating from densely populated countries to less densely populated countries. For all of the advantages that population density brings, I do feel that there is a critical mass of people in which government feels distant, communities don't exist and quality of life decreases.
In my eyes the perpetual drive for endless growth isn't a good thing, and is in fact probably the worst aspect of modern society. If a town has 10,000 people, why does it have to have more? Why do the sparsely populated areas have to be populated.
Surely at a time of dwindling resources, massively negative environmental impacts, warnings of irreversible change. We should be concentrating on reducing our environmental footprint, not infinitely expanding it through population growth.