Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - March 2010
If the latest data trends continue, by 2031 one in three Canadians will be a visible minority, says a new report from Statistics Canada.
Furthermore, in that same time frame, one in four Canadians will be born outside of the country. This current rate of growth in minority and immigrant populations is unmatched in Canadian history, and, according to some analysts, could significantly affect the country in all sorts of contexts.
Canada’s relatively open immigration policy, combined with a high birth rate among minority groups, will continue to drastically raise their percentages in the nation’s overall demographic.
Minorities of South Asian descent, in particular Pakistani, Indian and Sri Lankans, are forecast to be the largest visible minority group in 2031, making up approximately 28 per cent of Canada’s population. Further data shows that visible minorities will tend to be more concentrated in Canada’s larger cities.
There are conflicting views on the meaning of the new report, with some analysts expressing concern that the trend could divide Canada’s population even further beyond the urban and rural communities as well as the Anglophone and francophone divisions which already define many boundaries.
Others, however, say that there is no need to be overly concerned, as most immigrants to Canada seem to be willing and eager to adapt to the Canadian way of life.
Source: Globe and Mail
