Latest news with #population growth
National Post
6 days ago
- Business
- National Post
Michael Taube: Poilievre's right — Canada needs a hard cap on immigration
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has long recognized what the Liberals have only started to acknowledge: immigration levels in Canada are too high and unsustainable. He has a plan to get things back under control, and it's a sensible political strategy to take. Article content Poilievre suggested a new immigration policy for the Conservatives in June. 'We want severe limits on population growth to reverse the damage the Liberals did to our system,' he said at a press conference last month. 'The population has been growing out of control, our border has been left wide open. This has caused the free flow of drugs, illegal migration, human trafficking and much worse.' Article content Article content Global News asked him to elaborate on his remarks at a press conference in Ottawa this week. 'In order to fix the problem,' he replied, 'we've got to put very hard caps on immigration levels. We need more people leaving than coming for the next couple of years … so our country can actually catch up.' Article content Article content In addition, Poilievre pointed out that, 'We've had population growth of roughly a million a year under the Liberals, while we barely build 200,000 homes. Our job market is stalled and yet we are adding more people to the workforce. Our young people are facing generational highs in unemployment because … multinational corporations are giving jobs to low-wage temporary foreign workers.' Article content He's right. Conservatives recognize the importance of immigration on everything from promoting diversity to achieving economic success, but they also recognize that Canada simply can't handle the financial burden that the annual influx of immigration has caused over the past decade of Liberal rule. Article content Article content It wasn't always this way. Statistics Canada's 2016 paper, ' 150 years of immigration in Canada,' noted that the number of landed immigrants since the 1990s had 'remained relatively high, with an average of approximately 235,000 new immigrants per year.' The highest tally ever recorded to that point was in 1913, when 'more than 400,000 immigrants arrived in the country.' Article content Article content Canada experienced a steady level of population growth through immigration for more than a century. Until Justin Trudeau was elected prime minister, that is. Article content Trudeau's early years actually didn't witness a significant spike in immigration. A total of 296,350 immigrants arrived on our shores in 2016, while the number decreased slightly to 286,480 in 2017. Nothing out of the ordinary, all things considered. Article content But in 2016, the federal government's advisory council on economic growth suggested that immigration targets could be increased by 150,000 annually over the next five years. It specifically recommended Ottawa take a 'gradual approach to scaling annual immigration to the recommended 450,000 level over the next 5 years.'
CBC
7 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Clearwater, B.C., braces for potential of massive mine that could nearly double its population
A smaller B.C. community might see its population nearly double within the next 10 years if a massive open pit copper mine goes ahead. B.C. Developer Taseko Mines says the Yellowhead Project could create about 2,000 jobs during the construction phase. It's being proposed for a location about 150 kilometres northeast of Kamloops, just east of Clearwater, B.C. And with a population of 2,500, Clearwater could be on the front lines of that growth. The mine is going to environmental assessment at a time when the provincial and federal governments are looking to strengthen local production in the face of tariff threats and increased need for Canadian goods. Taseko says it could provide almost 180 million pounds of copper per year over 25 years. With Prime Minister Mark Carney committing to fast-track projects that are deemed to be in the public interest, Clearwater could meet the criteria. Mayor Merlin Blackwell says he is seeing a difference in the way this project is being dealt with compared to similar projects a decade ago. "This is one of three mines proposed in our section of the North Thompson Valley between here and just north of Blue River. So I could see all of these getting more financial backing and more government backing moving forward." The municipality is nestled between mountains and forests in the North Thompson, an area frequented by visitors from around the world who are seeking out the stunning views of Wells Gray Provincial Park. That's a reputation Blackwell wants to maintain. "It's sort of a balancing act between, you know, welcoming the idea of this new mine and the jobs that come with it, but also retaining what we already have." Some say that might not be possible. Nikki Skuce, co-chair of B.C. Mining Law Reform Network, says she's concerned that waste runoff and water usage will impact the park's wildlife and the surrounding area. The municipality relies on its outdoor attractions for tourism, and she's hoping residents will speak up. "I think it's important that residents are able to have meaningful input and shift how the project is designed, or elements of it, so that their interests are protected and that the project doesn't go ahead if it doesn't meet certain standards." Taseko Mines has begun three environmental assessment processes, at the provincial and federal levels, as well as an Indigenous-led assessment. Whether residents are for or against it, the mayor is encouraging Clearwater residents to prepare. He says if the community waits to begin planning until the approval, it might end up playing catch-up. That's because housing, schools, and hospital expansions take time and funding. "We lived through the boomtown of Trans Mountain [Pipeline], the effects that had on this town. We've learned our lesson. We need to get ahead of this."
The Sun
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Warning as Britain faces being Europe's most crowded country by the end of the century – and it's our politicians' fault
BRITAIN faces being Europe's most crowded country by the end of the century because politicians are failing to act, a cross-party report warns. Seven in ten people think the Government does not have a plan for population growth, says the study led by Tory peer Lord Hodgson. Population rose by 9.2 million in the last 25 years, which the report claims is "the most absolute rapid increase in our nation's history". Lord Hodgson blasted politicians who have been 'kicking the can down the road,' saying: ' If we don't start putting plans in place now, the problems we face later will be far harder to solve." The report warns of overstretched housing and public services, stagnating wages, environmental strain, loss of open space, threats to food and water and social division. It says: "The ONS population projections published in January 2024 forecast a UK population of 77.9 million by 2045. United Nations (UN) projections suggest continuing growth, predicting that the UK population could reach more than 86 million by 2100, making the UK the most populous country in Europe." Shock polling also reveals 22 per cent of voters think Reform UK is better at tackling population pressures than mainstream parties, with Labour on just 10 per cent and Tories trailing at 7 per cent. The study, backed by Labour big beast Lord Glasman, calls for a new independent Office for Demographic Change to establish a proper evidence base and reassure the public. Lord Glasman urged politicians to face the issue, declaring: "Issues of demography and immigration have disfigured our public debates for too long. The general public is clearly looking for ways to address these challenges." Migrant camps brace for impact as UK-France deal fuels crossings 1
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Researchers issue warning over invasive creatures that are wreaking havoc on mountain region: 'Registered a significant spread'
Researchers in the Czech Republic have launched an expansive and groundbreaking study on the population growth of an invasive species that has been steadily expanding its territory in the country since it was first introduced nearly 100 years ago. A team of researchers from the Institute of Forest Protection and Hunting at Mendel University's Faculty of Forestry and Wood Science is attempting a study that has never been done before in Europe. As reported by BRNO Daily, the team is focusing on the northern raccoon, an animal that has been wreaking havoc in the country's ecosystem by interfering with many native species and their habitats. To better understand how the invasive species has been able to thrive in the country, researchers will focus on the northern raccoon's habitat preference, its estimated population, and the most effective methods to control that population. For now, the bulk of the team's study will be conducted in Chropyňský luh, which has been designated a Natura 2000 protected site in Europe, and the Doupov Mountains in the Karlovy Vary region. Researcher Ondřej Mikulka from the Institute of Forest Protection and Hunting at Mendel University explained that the northern raccoon isn't just stopping its expansion to one region. "In recent years, however, we have also registered a significant spread of the raccoon northwards, to the area of the Království nature reserve, Litovelský Pomoraví and the Šumperk region," Mikulka said, per BRNO Daily. "Lastly, the south of Prostějov region is also becoming an important hotspot, and all available data clearly show that the raccoon will spread to other areas as well." Invasive species significantly disrupt ecosystems, often leading to a decline in biodiversity. They can alter habitats, outcompete native species for resources, introduce diseases, and even cause some species to experience rapid population decline. These impacts can have cascading effects on humans as well, impacting our food chain and agriculture industries. The northern raccoon can be an opportunistic predator that preys on a wide range of native species, including amphibians, reptiles, birds, and small mammals, BRNO Daily reported. They are also prone to carrying diseases like rabies and Baylisascaris procyonis, also known as raccoon roundworm, which can be transmitted to other animals and even humans. While raccoons often have several natural predators that can help curb growing populations, raccoons in the Czech Republic do not have any substantial natural predators, according to BRNO Daily. This can allow their population to grow rapidly as an invasive species. Although larger predators such as wolves, lynx, and bears inhabit the country, they ultimately have a minimal impact on raccoon populations. As part of the study, the team of researchers will comb through data collected from a small group of raccoons in Moravia and Doupov that have been equipped with telemetric collars. "We will have relevant data at the end of this year, but we can already say that this is a unique monitoring project within Europe," Mikulka said, per BRNO Daily. Mikulka explained that, throughout the current study, the research team has observed advanced intelligence from the small animal. Thanks to photo traps and video recordings, the team has been able to capture invaluable footage to help them better understand the cunning creature. "With colleagues in the Doupov area, we have documented cases where an individual caught in a trap was able to open the device and escape on its own," Mikulka added, per BRNO Daily. "Older and more experienced individuals can even remove the bait without activating the trap's trigger mechanism." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
