Our Appearance Before Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration

February 24, 2026

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On February 23, 2026, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Vice President of Government Relations, David Pierce, appeared before the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration as part of its study of Canada’s immigration system.

Speaking on behalf of the Canadian Chamber and our newly established Immigration Council, he emphasized that immigration is a cornerstone of Canada’s economic growth and labour market stability. He outlined the mounting workforce pressures facing businesses — including demographic decline, sector-specific labour shortages, and intensifying global competition — and stressed the need for a more predictable, responsive, and economically aligned immigration framework.

The full remarks and recording are available below.

Good afternoon Madam Chair and Honorable Members,

Thank you for the invitation to appear today on behalf of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and the Chamber’s new Immigration Council, to provide testimony as part of your study of Canada’s Immigration System. 

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is the country’s largest business association with an active network of approximately 400 chambers of commerce and boards of trade representing nearly 200,000 businesses of all sizes, in all sectors and regions, and in most federal ridings across our country.

Immigration is a key driver of economic growth in Canada. For thousands of businesses, temporary and permanent immigration is not optional; it is an economic imperative.

That economic imperative became even more relevant last January, with the inauguration of the current U.S. Administration.

Since then, Canadian businesses are under strain due to real or potential tariffs that could shut down sectors of our economy, aggressive changes in U.S. tax policy, and a requirement that Canadian businesses diversify into other markets.

At a time when Canadian businesses are having to compete in ways they haven’t before, adding one more challenge, a shrinking workforce, may be a bridge too far for Canadian businesses.

This, in turn, could force businesses to make difficult decisions to reduce services, stop producing goods and, at worst, shift business from Canada to jurisdictions where they can access labour or close altogether.  

When I joined the Chamber last January, I had the chance to meet with many of our members, and I can tell you, immigration – access to skilled labour or immigration to help our economy continue to grow – is in their top 3 priorities and risks. 

The simple fact is we have an all-time low fertility rate, coupled with a rapidly shrinking labour pool due to an upcoming wave of retirements in critical sectors of the economy.

The simple fact is we have a demographic problem.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and our members recognize that over the past few years, rapid and disproportionate population growth in certain communities across Canada has placed pressure on housing, infrastructure, and social services.

But we must draw to your attention the fact that those pressures are not experienced equally across our vast country.

In many rural and remote communities, as well as in specific sectors of the economy, employers continue to face persistent and structural labour challenges. Examples include Thunder Bay and much of Northern Ontario, regions of Quebec, Atlantic Canada and across the West.

Our immigration system must reflect the full range of labour-market needs — high-skilled, mid-skilled, and low-skilled occupations in rural and urban centres.

Based on our research at the Business Data Lab, Temporary foreign workers represent approximately 1% of Canada’s labour force, yet they play a critical role in sustaining sectors experiencing persistent shortages — agriculture, food processing, construction, hospitality, manufacturing, and healthcare.

Let me be perfectly clear: The Canadian Chamber of Commerce firmly believes Canadian jobs should go first to Canadians and permanent residents who want them and are qualified to do the work.

I hope we can all agree that if those conditions do not exist, where a qualified Canadian does not want a job, then a Canadian business owner should be able to find skilled workers through a program like the TFWP to avoid being forced to reduce production, relocate operations, or close entirely.

Over the past couple of years, we have seen a lot of criticism of the TFWP, and much of it is rightly so. The programs’ delivery over the past few years has been a challenge for employers and, no doubt, many Canadians.

This should not undermine the need, the imperative for Canada to have an immigration program that enables employers to access labour that is not available domestically.

The multiple and reactive immigration policy changes of the past couple of years, such as post-graduate work permits, changes to the temporary foreign worker program, and reductions in immigration levels, have created significant uncertainty and negatively impacted businesses and communities across the country.

Together, the effect has been to erode Canadians’ trust in the system while also damaging Canada’s reputation as a destination for the world’s best and brightest. We need a clear plan to get back on track, and we need to treat immigration as part of our economic infrastructure.

Businesses and Canadians need to put certainty and predictability back at the centre of our immigration system. On behalf of the Canadian Chamber and the Immigration Council, we are eager to support you to do just that.

Thank you. I look forward to your questions.