OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada’s main statistics agency announced on Thursday that it will change its method of counting non-permanent residents, following concerns that the current methodology may have underestimated the number of foreign students, workers, and others by about one million individuals.
The decision comes in the midst of a heated debate surrounding a housing affordability crisis in Canada. Many have attributed this crisis to an increase in migrants and international students, as their presence has resulted in a higher demand for housing. Additionally, rising costs have led to a slowdown in construction.
The Canadian government, facing mounting political pressure, has hinted at the possibility of implementing a cap on foreign student visas.
In a note published on Wednesday, economist Benjamin Tal of CIBC Capital Markets argued that the need for such limitations would become even more urgent if the government was aware of the true figures.
While Statistics Canada stands by its current data, the agency has announced its intention to publish new and more detailed information on non-permanent residents next month, utilizing a revised methodology.
“We constantly evaluate and review our methodology to consider emerging demographic trends and new data needs,” stated Statscan in an email. Statscan defines non-permanent residents as individuals living in Canada with work or study permits, as well as asylum seekers.
Tal believes that Statscan’s new approach will provide a more accurate representation of the actual number of non-permanent residents in the country.
“A prerequisite for any policy, particularly housing policy, is to be aware of the scale and extent of the shortage,” Tal explained during a phone interview on Thursday.
(Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
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