Provinces demand more control over immigration to combat labour shortage
Ministers from Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba are calling on Sean Fraser, Canada's minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship, to allow their provinces to select more immigrants "with the skills they need most" in a letter sent Tuesday night.
"We need the ability to respond to the rapidly evolving needs of specific areas and communities, with a flexible system that we can adapt to changing economic and humanitarian needs," the letter states.
Ahead of a meeting with Fraser and their fellow immigration ministers in Saint John, N.B., they say Canada needs to do more to attract and retain workers — particularly in skilled trades. They say provinces should be allowed to recruit workers and offer them good local jobs.
