Premier Danielle Smith delivered a clear message in her televised address this week: Alberta is overwhelmed by the influx of newcomers, and it’s time for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s immigration policies to be reined in. Her government, she says, is stepping up to tackle the problem head-on, and she insists the current rate of immigration is unsustainable for the province.
Alberta’s Immigration Crisis
Smith, who has made significant efforts to connect with the concerns of Albertans, acknowledged that the rapid pace of immigration is placing unprecedented pressure on essential services, including schools, housing, and healthcare. In her address, she announced a nearly $9 billion investment over the next three years to build and modernize schools—a move to help address the impact of population growth.
However, the announcement of this substantial funding is just one piece of a larger narrative that the premier has been constructing. She points to a larger issue—there are simply too many people arriving in Alberta too quickly for the province to keep up. “We are being overrun,” Smith said, underscoring her frustration. “We can’t handle the volume.”
A Call for Reform
Smith directed sharp criticism at Prime Minister Trudeau, accusing him of promoting an open-border policy that has left provinces like Alberta struggling to keep pace with the surging population. The premier made it clear that she believes the number of immigrants entering the country needs to be scaled back to a more manageable level.
This stance is likely to attract controversy, as critics may accuse her of adopting exclusionary views. However, Smith is adamant in defending her position. “Not at all,” she responded in a Postmedia interview when asked if she feared being labeled a racist. Instead, she emphasized practical concerns, posing questions that resonate with many Albertans: “How much can our economy absorb and create jobs for people? What about affordable housing? Places for kids in classrooms? How much can the healthcare system take?”
For Smith, the issue isn’t immigration itself but rather the speed and scale at which it’s occurring. “There’s a certain amount of growth you expect,” she explained, but the current influx has thrown things “out of balance.” Smith highlighted the mounting pressure on housing, schools, and healthcare services as clear indicators of an unsustainable situation.
Strain on Alberta’s Infrastructure
Smith’s concern is not merely theoretical. She cited the growing struggles faced by Alberta’s public services as evidence that the province is being pushed to its limits. “When you can’t build homes fast enough, when you can’t build schools fast enough, when you can’t access health facilities and recruit doctors fast enough,” she listed, adding that rising home prices and reports of people living in shelters and campgrounds are clear red flags.
“That’s a bleeping red light,” she said bluntly. “There’s a problem. There’s an imbalance. There are too many people coming too fast for us to keep up.”
The numbers back up her claim. Over 200,000 people arrived in Alberta last year, including 70,000 evacuees from Ukraine. While Smith expressed Alberta’s willingness to help those fleeing war, she also turned her attention to a broader issue: asylum seekers from non-war-torn countries.
“Many of them have their refugee claims refused when it finally comes down to it. I think our system is being abused,” Smith remarked. According to her, Canada has seen a tenfold increase in asylum seekers arriving by air compared to previous years. In her view, the Trudeau government has allowed the system to spiral out of control. “They’ve gone too far. They’ve just gone haywire over the last two years.”
‘Enough Is Enough’
The premier’s message is clear: “Enough is enough.” Smith called for a return to what she described as “a sane level of welcoming newcomers,” adding that the current pace is unsustainable. Alberta cannot continue to absorb 200,000 new residents each year, she argued, without experiencing severe strain on its social infrastructure.
The premier acknowledged that welcoming newcomers is essential to a healthy economy, but she stressed that a more moderate pace of immigration would allow the province to “catch up” and ensure that resources are available for those who arrive. “It doesn’t help newcomers if they arrive and they don’t have a job or they can’t get access to social programs, or they can’t get their kids in school, or they can’t get a house,” Smith said, pointing to the importance of integrating immigrants effectively.
Smith’s vision for immigration reform would see the number of newcomers reduced to levels more consistent with those seen during Stephen Harper’s tenure as prime minister. While Smith was previously an advocate for a larger Alberta with a growing population, she now acknowledges that the province has reached a tipping point. “We’re clearly at a point now where we’re under stress. We must have a more reasonable pace of growth.”
A Change in Tone
The shift in Smith’s tone is notable. Just months ago, she was advocating for more people to come to Alberta, even dreaming of cities like Red Deer reaching a population of one million. Today, however, she speaks of “massively overcrowded schools” and a rise in unemployment in urban centers like Calgary and Edmonton. The premier now frames the influx of newcomers as a challenge rather than an opportunity.
Smith recalled a time when people were actually leaving Alberta, and media outlets like the CBC were reporting on the province’s declining population. “We knew we needed to get people to help us with job creation and growth,” she said, referring to the period following COVID-19 restrictions. But that period of population decline is over, and now, Smith argues, Alberta is struggling to keep pace with the consequences of its rapid recovery.
Defining Shared Values
Smith also touched on a broader issue during her televised address: the question of shared values. “Newcomers are welcome,” she assured Albertans, “who possess our shared values.” But what exactly are those values?
Smith pointed to a list that includes freedom, family, community, faith, free speech, and free enterprise. These, she believes, are the principles that attract people to Alberta. “I don’t think anyone would come to Alberta unless they shared those values,” she said confidently. “That’s why they’re choosing us.”
However, she drew a clear distinction between those who share Alberta’s values and those who don’t. “When you come to Alberta, you leave the hatreds, the conflicts, and the troubles from your home country,” she declared. “I think that’s what we expect. I think that’s why people come here.”
Moving Forward
Premier Smith’s comments are likely to spark debate, particularly given the politically charged nature of immigration policy. Her call for a more measured pace of growth reflects mounting concerns over the province’s ability to sustain its current population boom. Whether her proposed solutions will resonate with Albertans or face resistance remains to be seen.
One thing is certain: Smith is determined to address the strain that mass immigration has placed on Alberta’s infrastructure, and she’s not afraid to challenge the federal government’s approach to immigration in the process. As the premier put it herself, “Enough is enough.”
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