A relatively small but an impactful and important part of these arrival numbers are refugees. Global conflicts have displaced the largest numbers of refugees since the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was established. This past year saw two concurrent humanitarian crises – Afghanistan and Ukraine – with large arrival flows that provided necessary relief and safety to thousands of vulnerable families. In the background, other humanitarian movements and the growing impact of climate-related migration loom.

We also continued to respond to the needs of refugee claimants that arrive at our borders, an issue that gained much attention nationally over the last year as a new Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) was agreed between Canada and the US as well as the recent Supreme Court decision.

Canada has a long-standing consensus on the economic, social, and cultural benefits of immigration to our country and regions. We reap the benefits of this without much of the political and social controversy that is inherent in many other developed countries, including both the US and across much of Europe.

However, we saw more and more this year that we cannot take this Canadian consensus for granted. Increasing questions and concerns are being raised about the social infrastructure capacity, especially housing, to welcome so many newcomers, and whether this takes away from the benefits gained.

As a sector, we need to continue to develop the programs, policies, and partnerships to make sure settlement journeys are successful. At the same time, we also need to work with all levels of government, as well as with the business community and the wider civil society sector, to advocate for the necessary investments and integration of strategies and policies to ensure we respond to the capacity questions being raised.