The Media Roundup provides links to recent and archived articles, in both English and French, on immigration and diversity appearing in the national and local news. Some international content is also included. Articles are updated weekly.
CBC News — Feds want $411 million to cover refugee health care as the number of new arrivals soars
The federal government is asking Parliament to approve hundreds of millions of dollars in new spending to cover the health-care costs of eligible refugees and asylum seekers — a budget line item that has soared in recent years as the number of these newcomers reached record highs. The Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) is designed to cover migrants who don’t yet qualify for provincial or territorial medicare. By removing some barriers to health care, the program makes it easier for refugees — many of them fleeing conflict or persecution abroad — to get the care they need on arrival.nThere’s also a public health benefit: it helps prevent and control the spread of infectious diseases in Canada.
Radio-Canada — Migrants et Américains s’informent sur l’immigration au Canada avant la présidence Trump
Alors que la future présidence américaine menace d’expulser de millions d’immigrants en situation irrégulière, des demandeurs d’asile et même des Américains sont inquiets. Ils font des appels et envoient des messages courriel pour s’informer des conditions d’accueil et de travail au Canada. Des Américains, dont une partie installée dans des États frontaliers, se sont renseignés sur les conditions de déménagement au Canada selon les recherches Google. Un sommet pour ces recherches a été atteint le jour de l’élection américaine.
Radio-Canada — L’audit d’un programme d’immigration est mis sur pause au Yukon
Le Bureau de la vérificatrice générale du Canada a mis sur pause son audit sur le Programme territorial de candidature à l’immigration du Yukon, en raison d’une enquête de la Gendarmerie royale du Canada. L’audit devait être présenté à l’automne, explique le sous-vérificateur général, Andrew Hayes, dans une lettre au président du Comité permanent des comptes publics du Yukon, Currie Dixon. Ce travail est toutefois mis en veilleuse pour une période indéterminée par respect pour toutes les enquêtes conduites par la GRC.
The Globe and Mail — Ontario colleges face biggest financial hit from Ottawa’s international student clampdown
Postsecondary institutions are grappling with a sharp drop in foreign student numbers as Ottawa clamps down on international study permits. Ontario colleges, the biggest financial winners during the enrolment boom years, stand to be the biggest losers. It’s no secret that most public colleges and universities in Canada boosted enrolment of international students over the last decade, but Ontario’s college sector is a stark outlier, with foreign students accounting for 42 per cent of all enrolments in the 2022-2023 academic year, according to new numbers from Statistics Canada.
City News — Some Canadian cities building temporary housing facilities to accommodate refugees
A significant increase in the number of refugees and asylum seekers in Canada has prompted some cities to start building temporary housing for new arrivals. The city of Ottawa is working to establish what’s known as a sprung structure that serves as both a temporary shelter and a centre to provide settlement services such as language training and employment assistance. These centres are meant to house refugees only for their first few weeks in the city before they move on to more suitable housing in Ottawa’s settlement infrastructure.
City News — Canada loses 35 per cent of its French-speaking immigrants, notably in Quebec and Ontario
Canada is losing 35 per cent of its French-speaking immigrants, mainly in Quebec and Ontario, according to the Conference Board of Canada who published their report on Tuesday. The study, commissioned by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, noted that this proportion of departures has been garnered over a long period. However, newcomers are most likely to leave within their first five years of permanent residence in Canada, regardless of whether they speak French or not. For immigrants whose mother tongue is French, their decisive years are the first two.
