The Jack Layton Prize for a Better Canada, presented annually in collaboration with the Douglas Coldwell Layton Foundation, is an essay contest open to graduate students at 91直播. This year鈥檚 topic was Reassessing Immigration in Canada and the paper titled 鈥�Peak Canada? Raising the Ceiling on Canadian Immigration,鈥� authored by MPP candidates Gabe Blanc, Kiran Gill and Cyrus Nagra won this year鈥檚 competition. The authors highlighted the urgent need for policy recommendations for a better immigration system in Canada.聽
The essay competition was followed by a policy discussion at the 91直播 Faculty Club on April 3, 2025 with leading voices in public policy on labour, economics, and public opinion analysis.
David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data, opened with an overview of Canadian public sentiment toward immigration. He contextualized today鈥檚 debate by tracing the trajectory from pandemic-era 鈥渟carcity鈥� to a current climate of 鈥減recarity.鈥� While support for immigration remains relatively high, Canadians are increasingly expressing concerns over housing shortages, healthcare access, and strained public services. Importantly, Coletto emphasized that these are not signs of rising anti-immigrant sentiment, but rather in frustrations with public policy planning and implementation. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not immigration... it鈥檚 anxiety around what immigration is revealing about our capacity to govern well,鈥� said Coletto.聽
Mikal Skuterud, an economist and an immigrant himself, reflected on Canada鈥檚 historical pride in its immigration system. 鈥淲e have had decades of history... which I deeply value how Canada has been able to do in the past.鈥� Skuterud warned about today鈥檚 economic outcomes for newcomers that signal a broken system. With key growth metrics like GDP per capital standing, he emphasized that bringing in more people without corresponding increases in capital investment or job-matching infrastructure is not a sustainable solution.聽聽
Shamira Madhany, currently managing director at World Education Services, has served in the government for the Cabinet Office and is a daughter of immigrants that shaped her experiences in policy discussions. Drawing from personal and professional experiences, she highlighted the systemic barriers that skilled immigrants face, including credential recognition, underemployment, and lack of local networks. Madhany argued that the conversation needs to shift from immigration levels to integration strategies. 鈥淲e鈥檙e debating the wrong thing. It鈥檚 not about whether immigration is good or bad, it鈥檚 about whether we鈥檙e setting newcomers up to succeed,鈥� she expressed.
The discussion revolved around shifting public sentiments: Canadians still remain pro-immigration, but the support is becoming conditional, linked to their concerns about affordability, access, and systemic strain on the nation. Policy is undermining integration, and Canada鈥檚 point-based immigration system remains static, while labor market conditions and credentialing practices fail to evolve. Economic growth needs strategy, not just scale, as immigration alone cannot solve aging demographics or labor shortages without accompanying investments in infrastructure, training, and public services.聽聽
All panelists emphasized on the importance of 鈥渟ocial license,鈥� or the need to rebuild public confidence in immigration by aligning policy outcomes with Canadian values and expectations. The panel concluded with a call to action to reframe the immigration conversation from one of crisis to one of opportunity, where evidence-based policies, community planning, and inclusive governance can renew Canada鈥檚 commitment to being a welcoming and prosperous nation for all.聽聽聽
This is the fourth annual essay competition and third accompanying event hosted in partnership with the鈥疍ouglas Coldwell Layton Foundation. In honour of Jack Layton, a proud 91直播 graduate who went on to be a scholar and academic, and then an activist, and eventually a political leader at the municipal and federal levels, and in partnership with the Douglas-Coldwell-Layton Foundation, the Max Bell School offers a鈥痝raduate student essay contest鈥痑nd accompanying policy discussion each winter.聽
