'I don't want more immigrants': International students react to Liberals' plans to increase immigration

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The Justin Trudeau Liberal government recently announced an increase in yearly immigration to 500,000 immigrants per year, starting in 2025.

Comparatively, the United States takes in approximately one million legal immigrants per year (221,000 in Q2 of 2022) with nearly 10 times the population.

Andrew Chapados went to the University of Toronto's Scarborough campus to ask the international student population if they think this increase in immigration is sustainable, and if they think it will drive up the already expensive cost of living in the Greater Toronto Area.

While many students stated that they believed the numbers are indeed too high to maintain (whilst being immigrants themselves), others did not take issue with the intake numbers, opting to point out that government policies are the root cause of high housing prices, low wages and inflation.

"It doesn't matter what the immigration levels are if the core problems of the country are not solved," one student told Rebel News.

"I don't want more immigrants either... and I'm an immigrant," a student from South Korea explained.

Regardless of their opinion on immigration, other students expressed how it is extremely difficult to afford a reasonable standard of living in the area:

"I won't be able to afford a place to live because I'll be paying off my school debts," a student remarked. Another said housing costs are "out of control," while admitting she pays an "insane price" for a nearby basement apartment.

Overall, the student body demonstrated an exceptional level of rationale, while the school's campus itself had a shockingly low level of 'social justice'-oriented displays and signage. Posters about hard work and a lack of politically infused signage were a welcomed breath of fresh air compared to other university campuses in the region.