Latest news with #SaskatchewanUrbanMunicipalitiesAssociation
CBC
20-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
These immigrants say Canada failed to plan for a population explosion. Now it's their top election issue
Joana Valamootoo felt Canada was a welcoming place when she immigrated here from Mauritius in 2012, but that sense has faded in recent years as immigration numbers have gone up and up. "I came here in 2012 on a francophone initiative program, an immigration program, and I was welcome, but I was also provided what I needed to succeed here," she said. She believes that's no longer the case for newcomers to the country. CBC has been asking people across the country about the issues that matter most to them in the April 28, 2025, federal election. What issue matters the most to you this federal election, and why? Share your personal stories with us at ask@ While immigration has taken a backseat to concerns like national unity and tariffs Valamootoo said it's top of mind for her. She wants to hear leaders talk about how they will integrate newcomers into the country. "I think the past three years there has been a lot of mistakes by the federal government with regard to how many people they were letting in." She feels that's led to a rise in racism and a backlash against immigrants and international students, who've been blamed for crises in housing and education. "I think we need a leader that can bring people together, instead of creating division," she said. As Canada's population has pushed past 41 million people, Canadians and immigrants alike have expressed concern about whether the country has planned enough to incorporate new immigrants into workspaces, schools and homes. The Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association recently commissioned a poll, which found 68 per cent of Saskatchewan people surveyed online supported reducing immigration. Parties lack vision to plan, says Calgary voter Sanjeev Kumar came to Canada on a work permit in 2008 to work in Alberta's restaurant industry and recently opened his own restaurant in northeast Calgary. He's also seen a rise in anti-immigrant sentiment, which he believes is intensified by immigrants being willing to work in minimum wage jobs and creating intense competition for work. "Nobody has a job right now. People are struggling. Everyone is struggling. Groceries are so expensive," he said. Kumar said the problem hits international students and other newcomers particularly badly. He has students coming to him, asking for work. "They are in college, about to finish, but they don't have money … they don't have food to eat." Compare all the parties' platforms on immigration using CBC's tracker on election promises. Kumar said these students and people on work permits also don't have the same clear path to residency that he did when he came to Canada. Kumar got his permanent residency in three years. "That time actually, when Harper government was there, I think everything is controlled," he said, adding there needs to be a balance between immigration and integration. "Right now there's no balance there. They don't know what they are doing." Since getting his citizenship, Kumar has voted Conservative, but said he's not convinced either of the two main parties have a bold plan to bolster the economy and ensure there's a stronger job market for newcomers and Canadians alike. "They are just thinking, small thinking [like] we just take out carbon tax," he said. "They don't have a clear vision for Canada." Settlement services face cuts Ali Abukar, CEO for the Saskatoon Open Door Society, said settlement services like his are among those that help newcomers integrate to Canada with things like employment training and language education. He said the federal government has scaled back money for these organizations as it reduces immigration targets, leading to program cuts at both the Saskatoon and Regina Open Door societies. Reducing immigrant and international student populations can't be done hastily, Abukar said. "A lot of the international students have been contributing a lot of money not only to schools and educational institutions, but also businesses and housing," he said. He said immigrants will still be needed to help Canada resolve issues like the labour that's needed to build houses. It speaks to the pressing need for the next elected government to take a phased approach to integrating newcomers into Canada, Abukar said. "Our [immigration] numbers didn't become where they are at in just the switch of a light. And we can't reverse them the same way," he said.
CBC
14-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
Infrastructure funding top of mind among Sask. urban municipalities
Social Sharing The cost of improving and building new local infrastructure — and who will pay for it — has become one of the focuses at this year's annual conference of the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA). SUMA president Randy Goulden said the federal government's Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) is already tapped out. "I've talked to so many municipalities, our members, these last few days very concerned because the program, it's allocated fully. There's nothing else coming out and it is essential that we get some funding," Goulden told media during a scrum on on Monday. WATCH| SUMA airing Sask. cities' key election issues: Infrastructure, interprovincial trade: SUMA airing Sask. cities' key election issues 6 hours ago Duration 3:50 The Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) is meeting this week for its annual convention. Jean-Marc Nadeau, CEO of SUMA, joined CBC Radio's The Morning Edition to discuss what issues matter to civic leaders this federal election. Goulden stressed that municipalities are not asking for handouts. She said they want to be partners with the federal and provincial governments. "We need those things so that our communities can continue to be sustainable and provide the jobs and the industry and the commerce to make our province healthy, but also to feed everything that the province has to do around health and education," Goulden said. Provincial political leaders respond Held in Saskatoon, this year's SUMA conference featured appearances from Premier Scott Moe and Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck. Moe agreed with Goulden, saying a new infrastructure program should be a priority for whoever forms government after this month's federal election. Moe said inflation has affected every municipality in the province. "We will need a new long-term stable infrastructure funding model so that municipalities can plan, and so that they can cost-share not only with the federal government, but with the provincial levels of government as well," Moe said. Beck said she agrees that the federal government needs to lend a hand, but also accused the provincial government of a lack of action. Beck said she's spoken to many urban officials at SUMA and at other events and heard the same complaint — that the funding the province provides to municipalities isn't enough. "[Municipalities] are responsible for about 60 per cent of the infrastructure in this province, but they have access to only less than $0.10, about $0.08 for every dollar. That is simply not a workable situation without support from other levels of government," Beck said. Moe touted his government's "record increase" in municipal revenue sharing as proof of how serious it takes the issue of infrastructure. In its 2025/2026 budget, the province boosted municipal revenue sharing by $22 million to a total of $362 million. That was a 6.3 per cent increase from the previous year's budget. Moe said that money is disbursed to municipalities with no strings attached and that makes it a "one-of-a-kind program." Goulden thanked the province for that increase. The SUMA president also urged the province to meet with municipalities as soon as the federal election is over to "hit the ground running" and ensure all levels of government are on the same page.
CBC
14-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
New Saskatchewan polling finds potential red spots in the sea of blue
A new poll commissioned by Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association suggests this federal election could look different than last time around. The Conservatives are still out in front, but support for the Liberals is surging in the two big cities.
