The majority of Canadians feel refugees and asylum seekers receive too many benefits
By Clayton DeMaine, True North Wire
Canadians’ opinions are shifting on immigration, with more people opposing Canada’s generous immigration support systems.
According to surveys commissioned by the Canadian Museum of Human Rights by Probe Research Inc. in 2023 and 2024, there has been a “significant increase” in the number of respondents, 56% reporting in 2024, who indicated that refugees and asylum seekers receive too many benefits.
The survey used a representative sample of 2,500 people in Canada from Protege, a national sample provider. The sample was statistically weighted for age and gender to represent Canada’s demographics according to 2021 census data.
The online panel is not a random sample, so no margin of error can be ascribed. A probability sample of the same size carries a margin of error of greater or less than 2%, 19 times out of 20.
Among the 56% who reported that asylum seekers and refugees receive too many benefits that could be better used on Canadians, 29% strongly agreed, while 27% said they “somewhat agree.”
Only 5% of the 16% of respondents who disagreed with the sentiment said they “strongly disagree.”
Refugees and asylum seekers have multiple taxpayer-funded supports available to them, including financial assistance with housing and payments for food and clothing through the Resettlement Assistance Program, language training, and access to Canada’s government-funded social and healthcare programs.