British Columbia Premier David Eby believes that the province’s rapid population growth has been “completely overwhelming.” Speaking in Halifax alongside Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey earlier this month, Eby highlighted the challenges posed by the influx of new residents.

According to Eby, British Columbia is experiencing “unprecedented population inflows,” with over 10,000 new arrivals each month. Last year alone, the province welcomed 180,000 new residents, equivalent to adding a new city annually. 

“And that’s great, and that’s exciting, and it’s necessary. And it’s completely overwhelming. To add a new city of 180,000 people every year to our province is not sustainable. Our schools are full. We are unable to keep up with housing starts,” the premier said.

Eby’s comments came during the Council of the Federation meeting, where Canada’s provincial leaders gathered to discuss various topics, including migration management. Eby emphasized the need for better coordination between provincial and federal governments to align immigration targets with local capacity.

This situation is not unique to British Columbia. Canada as a whole experienced significant population growth in 2023, with immigration accounting for 97.6% of the 1.27 million increase. British Columbia’s population rose from 5.43 million to 5.6 million during this period.

The rapid population growth has raised concerns among economists, who warn of potential negative impacts on living standards due to rising inflation and stagnant incomes. A recent Statistics Canada report projects that Canada’s population could reach 87 million by 2073, with British Columbia potentially growing to 8.8 million residents by 2048.

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