Anti-Immigration Protests Heat Up Across Canada
Protests Surge as Tensions Rise Over Immigration, Housing, and Jobs
Hey, Canada—land of maple syrup, hockey, and apparently, a whole lot of heated debates about who’s coming in the door. Over the past year or so, from mid-2025 right up to early 2026, anti-immigration protests have been popping up like Tim Hortons on every corner. It’s not just a few grumblers; we’re talking crowds clashing in major cities, chanting for tighter borders and mass deportations. Let’s break it down casually, with some real numbers to back it up.
Take Toronto, for starters. Just a couple of days ago, on January 10, 2026, hundreds of folks gathered at Nathan Phillips Square for a “Canada First” rally against what they call “mass immigration.” Picture this: signs waving for “remigration” and “stop the influx,” met head-on by counter-protesters yelling back about anti-hate and inclusivity. Things got spicy—eight people ended up arrested after some shoving and shouting matches turned into “completely unacceptable behaviors,” as the cops put it. It’s like a bad family reunion, but with more flags and fewer apologies.
This isn’t isolated. Back in September 2025, Brampton, Ontario, saw a massive turnout—thousands of locals demanding immigration policy tweaks to prioritize citizens. Protesters argued that the flood of newcomers is jacking up housing prices, straining healthcare, and inflating job competition. Is Canada’s government really listening? They’re slashing permanent resident approvals to 380,000 for 2026, down from 395,000 in 2025, which itself was a drop from even higher targets before. That’s a pivot from the open-arms vibe of recent years, where immigration hit record highs—over 1 million temporary residents in some reports, fueling everything from student visa fraud to overcrowded rentals.
Flash back to May 2025, and you’ve got demonstrations in Victoria, B.C., with Khalistan supporters protesting trade deals, blending anti-India sentiments with broader immigration gripes. Or November 2025 at Queen’s Park, where foreign workers flipped the script, protesting against canceled permanent residency programs riddled with “systemic fraud.” These events drew hundreds, sometimes thousands, highlighting how immigration touches nerves on both sides—locals feeling squeezed, migrants arguing they were “betrayed”.
A big flashpoint fueling the frustration? The surge in international students—especially from India—turning to refugee claims as study permits tighten up. In 2024, a record 20,245 asylum claims came from foreign students, with 2025 on track to top that (already 5,500 in the first three months alone, up 22% from the year before). Indians led the pack in many reports, with thousands filing claims amid shrinking pathways to stay legally—like post-grad work permits getting harder to snag. Critics call it a workaround for those who came on student visas hoping to stick around but now face visa expirations and limited options, while others point to potential abuse of the system. Either way, it’s added fuel to the protests, with folks on X and at rallies venting about “fake” claims clogging the asylum backlog and tying up resources.
It’s not all chaos, though. Groups like Canada First are pushing for “deportations now,” citing rising crime and economic woes, while counter-groups call it straight-up xenophobia. In Christie Pits Park last September, a rally turned into a standoff, with about 300 on each side trading barbs. Overall, these protests have seen turnouts from dozens to thousands, with at least a dozen major events across provinces like Ontario, B.C., and even echoes in Alberta.
What’s driving this? Sky-high inflation (hello, 5-7% spikes in some areas), housing shortages (average Toronto rent? Over $2,500 a month), and job markets where newcomers snag gigs while unemployment hovers around 6.5%. Critics say it’s policy failure, not people—weak screening and over-reliance on temp visas. As one X post put it, “Canada needs remigration urgently.” Look, immigration built this country, but these protests signal a tipping point. With elections looming and global trends mirroring this (shoutout to similar vibes in the UK and Australia), will Ottawa tighten up more? Or is just a start of bigger protests? Either way, it’s got everyone talking—and yelling.
