A small black passport sits in Kumaran Nadesan’s hands. It’s like a portal to another life. On its inside page is a date he has carried with him for nearly three decades: July 30, 1997, the day he landed in Canada.
“That stamp was a new lease on life,” he says. “It truly was.”
Kumaran was fifteen when he arrived in Toronto after years of displacement from the Sri Lankan civil war. “We were part of a Tamil community that faced structural genocide,” he says. “Like many others, we left in search of safety and a chance at a future.” Canada delivered it for my family.
Their first home was in the Tuxedo Court housing complex in Scarborough, Ontario, a place that shaped his Canadian identity. For Kumaran, it was a place of both struggle and possibility. “There is no middle ground in Tuxedo Court,” he says. “I have friends who passed away from gang violence and others who went to great schools. You either rise or you fall. Scarborough taught me resilience. It taught me to never give up.”
Over time, that sense of belonging deepened. Kumaran earned his degrees, built a career in the public sector, founded companies and grew into a community leader. Through it all, he held onto a grounded sense of responsibility that came from his journey. “At the core of it, I am a Canadian citizen,” he says. “With that comes the responsibility to help shape this country with the experiences I bring.”
Today, he is the Co-Founder and Deputy Chairman of the 369 Global group of companies, a son, brother, husband, father and proud Canadian. His own story gives him a clear view of Canada’s future. “Immigrants are not a challenge to solve,” he says. “They are Canada’s strength. They bring drive, ambition and a global perspective. They help this country grow.”
His belief in newcomers is one of the reasons he supports the Institute for Canadian Citizenship financially. “I am excited by the ICC,” he says. “Belonging can’t be manufactured from Ottawa. Citizenship comes to life in real places. I wish I had the ICC’s Canoo app when I first came to Canada,” he says. “Experiencing the country helps you understand where you fit in it.”
ICC’s research is equally important to him, especially on the subjects of immigrant retention and economic integration. These are not abstract issues. They reflect the experiences of families like his, families who stayed, contributed and helped build the country. “Canada has so much potential,” he says. “ICC is helping unlock it.”
2025 marks twenty years since Kumaran became a Canadian citizen, a milestone he meets with gratitude and duty. “My journey since 1997 has given me the opportunities my parents dreamed of,” he says. “Now I have the ability to give back and help others find the same sense of belonging.”
Kumaran’s donation to the ICC is a way of honouring that journey and shaping the path for those who come after him. “Service is part of my faith and part of my responsibility,” he says. “We should all try to leave this country a little better than we found it.”
Kumaran’s story reminds us of what immigration brings to Canada. It brings strength. It brings possibility. It brings people who come here to build, contribute and give back.
He calls Canada a place of “unrealized potential.” His life and generosity show how immigrants bring that potential to life.
Exclusive discounts and how-to guides open the door to skiing at 50+ sites across Canada for newcomers.
Toronto – 16th October 2025: Winter just got a lot better for immigrants. The Canadian Ski Council and the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) are partnering to get newcomers skiing on Canada’s slopes and introduce them to the thrill of the Canadian winter.
The partnership will deliver exclusive discounts to members of the ICC’s Canoo app on ski lift passes for adults and kids at more than 50 ski areas across Canada. To make hitting the slopes easier, the partnership also includes exclusive how-to content: tips, tricks, and everything from choosing the right gear to making those first turns with confidence.
“If you’re going to fall in love with Canada, you’ve got to fall in love with winter,” said Daniel Bernhard, CEO of the ICC. “Skiing is an exceptional way for the whole family to experience Canada’s natural beauty up close, embrace winter, stay fit, and build warm relationships with other Canadians on the hill, and in the chalet,” he continued. “By extending such a generous welcome to newcomers via Canoo, the Canadian Ski Council isn’t just creating a new generations of powder hounds. They’re giving talented immigrants yet another reason to stay in Canada, become Canadian, and contribute all they’ve got to our shared success.”
The Canoo app connects newcomers with over 2,000 of the country’s top cultural, nature, educational, and sporting experiences, including exclusive deals from Canadian brands.
“Snow sports have the power to bring people together through meaningful social bonds,” said Paul Pinchbeck, President and CEO of the Canadian Ski Council. “We’re proud to connect new immigrants to skiing and snowboarding through the Canoo app. Skiing and snowboarding are among the most family-friendly winter sports, and Canada’s ski and snowboard industry believes every Canadian should have the opportunity to experience the physical and mental well-being that comes from enjoying the outdoors year-round.”
With newcomers representing Canada’s fastest-growing demographic, this partnership will welcome thousands of new ski and snowboard enthusiasts to the slopes, enhance their experience of Canadian winter, and generate added opportunities for operators across the industry.
With newcomers representing Canada’s fastest-growing demographic, this partnership will welcome thousands of new skiers to Canada’s slopes, enhance their experience of Canadian winter, and open additional opportunity for operators across the sector.
About the ICC The Institute for Canadian Citizenship works for a Canada where immigrants don’t just come, but stay, become citizens, succeed, and make Canada stronger, richer, and more interesting.
Canoo’s growing network of welcome partners ensures that newcomers and their families can experience Canada’s most sought-after experiences as well as the tools they need to help call Canada home. Since 2010, Canoo has welcomed over 925,000 newcomer members. All recent permanent residents and new citizens can join Canoo by downloading the app for free.
For more about the app and the growing list of benefits for Canoo members, please visit https://canoo.ca/.
About the Canadian Ski Council
Founded in 1977, the Canadian Ski Council is a national, not-for-profit ski and snowboard organization whose mandate is to increase participation in recreational skiing, snowboarding, and cross-country skiing in Canada. Learn more about the Canadian Ski Industry by visiting www.skicanada.org. For more detailed information on how to start skiing, snowboarding or Nordic skiing, please visit www.goskiinggosnowboarding.ca.
Media Contact Institute for Canadian Citizenship Arash Safavi (647) 607-2971 asafavi@forcitizenship.ca
Part 2 of 2: Why internationally trained healthcare professionals can’t practice
By Chloe Bray
As Canada faces a shortage of almost 25,000 doctors, foreign trained physicians are working as cashiers at McDonald’s and neurologists with decades of experience are working as massage therapists. Almost 30,000 Canadians died last year waiting for care, yet a lack of urgency to get internationally trained healthcare professionals (IEHPs) practicing means that number will likely continue to grow.
In Part 1 of this series, we examined the pressing healthcare crisis affecting Canada from coast to coast to coast. A shortage of tens of thousands of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare staff means more and more patients are resorting to private, paid clinics to access care rather than waiting for years in pain. Canada has been underproducing domestic medical graduates for decades, and we cannot work our way out of this crisis without talent from abroad.
Yet despite tens of thousands of trained IEHPs arriving in Canada, many are unable to practice due to high licensing fees (a convoluted process that differs in each province), mobility restrictions, and long wait times. Canada’s nursing industry in particular relies heavily on international talent; in 2023, 15% of all registered nurses in Ontario obtained their training abroad. But 79% of internationally educated nurses are employed in the healthcare sector in less-specialized roles, such as personal support workers.
IEHPs face numerous obstacles to practicing in Canada. Many of these obstacles are profession-specific, but some exist across the board. Fragmented licensing systems across provinces are difficult for both immigrants and Canadian-trained professionals to navigate. The lack of a federal licensing system also limits immigrants’ mobility, forcing them to remain in the same province where they obtain their licensing. In a survey by the Canadian Medical Association, 73% of members believe a pan-Canadian licensure system would make Canada more attractive to internationally trained medical graduates (IMGs).
Depending on their qualifications and country of education, IMGs can pursue licensing through several streams. Most pathways include mandatory return-of-service (ROS) agreements, which force IMGs to work in designated underserved or rural areas for a set period of time, further limiting their mobility. The utility of these agreements is debated. In Alberta, which does not use ROS agreements, the number of practicing family doctors in rural communities grew by 32% between 2005 and 2018. In Ontario, which mandates ROS agreements, practicing doctors in rural areas grew by only 20%.
IMGs also face long wait times for the required exams, which typically only run a few times a year and can lead to months-long delays for doctors to get qualified. Furthermore, only 10% of annual residency spots – a requirement to licensing for most international doctors – are reserved for IMGs, leading to fierce competition.
Nurses and allied health professionals like physiotherapists, pharmacists, and laboratory technicians, who make up the backbone of Canada’s healthcare system, are also in critically short supply. A recent LifeLabs closure in Thunder Bay and reports of medical technologists working 50 hours straight in Saskatchewan highlight the critical need for more of these professionals.
An interview conducted for this article captured the experiences of Olukayode Jegede, a medical technologist, and his wife, a nurse, highlighting Canada’s complex and fragmented system. In 2016, the couple immigrated from Nigeria to Manitoba. In Nigeria, Olukayode worked as a medical laboratory technician testing a huge volume of samples daily in a major hospital. His wife, Esther*, was a practicing nurse and midwife. After immigrating, Olukayode went through the Canadian Society of Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) to re-qualify as a medical lab tech in Manitoba. The process included having all his documents sent from Nigeria to the CSMLS (they do not allow applicants to submit documents themselves), completing a bridging education program, writing two English exams (despite English being his native language), and writing the licensing exam. The costs added up to thousands of dollars.
In a survey of internationally educated nurses, 40% identified financial reasons (fees for exams, applications, document verification, and licensing) as the main barrier to registration, while recent practice requirements and needing permanent residence also stood out as obstacles.
During the two years that Olukayode was getting re-licensed, Esther chose not to pursue qualifications as a nurse in Canada due to the fees associated with both Olukayode’s requalification and her own. Instead, she worked as an uncertified healthcare aide in a personal care home, simultaneously pursuing her healthcare aide certification. Through this time, Esther was the sole income earner for their family. Once Olukayode was licensed and working as a medical lab tech in Swan River, Manitoba, Esther applied to nursing school in Swan River. She decided to re-start her education from scratch because she’d been told by other foreign-trained nurses that the re-qualification process was too lengthy. After applying twice and being unable to secure a spot, Esther decided to get re-licensed based on her original qualifications. In 2020, she began the process of transmitting her documents from Nigeria to the National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS), a coordinated program between the US and Canada. Despite being told the average wait time was 4 to 5 months, Esther waited 18 months to have her documents assessed.
When foreign-trained nurses apply to the NNAS, they pay separately for each province and qualification (e.g. RN, LPN, etc.) they want assessed. Esther chose four assessments; two in Ontario, one in Saskatchewan, and one in Manitoba. She ultimately chose to relocate to Ontario, where she completed a bridging program and clinical placements in several hospitals in Ottawa before obtaining her qualifications as an RN and LPN in summer 2025. It took her nearly ten years to get re-licensed as a nurse in Canada due to financial and educational barriers.
While these obstacles are frustrating to the talented immigrants who come here to support Canada’s healthcare system, the far-reaching consequences of these short-sighted policies will hit Canadians across the country, from elderly patients waiting for knee and hip replacements to families with young children seeking a general physician.
When Olukayode and Esther decided to move back to Manitoba to be closer to family, Esther was not allowed to work as a nurse due to Canada’s provincially regulated healthcare system. Despite being a licensed RN and LPN in Ontario, the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba and the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba (CLPNM) requested documentation from Nigeria about her Nigerian nursing license.
Olukayode emphasized the toll these lengthy processes have on Canadians waiting for healthcare: “Who’s at the receiving end here? The Canadian patients. […] Even if it was two weeks she was working now, she probably would’ve helped out in a way, either for an elderly patient or for a young child.”
After several months, Esther is still waiting to hear back from the CLPNM.
Olukayode, after working for years as a medical lab tech in Manitoba and remote communities in Northern Ontario, will complete his final contract this December. He finished the immigration law program at Queen’s University and now works as an immigration consultant supporting IEHPs. Olukayode doesn’t see this as an end to his healthcare career; he believes supporting other IEHPs is the biggest positive impact he can make in Canada’s healthcare system.
The experience of Olukayode and Esther highlight several obstacles skilled immigrants face to making Canada their home. At the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, we recognized that economic immigrants are leaving Canada in worrying numbers. We cannot expect skilled immigrants to commit to Canada if the country stifles their contributions.
Olukayode and Esther, like all immigrants, had options when they chose to leave their home country. They explored the US, the UK, and Canada. “I would still choose Canada every time,” Olukayode said.
“I’m passionate about giving back to a country that has given me everything. How can I hand my voice to a discussion that’s going to affect all of us?”
*A pseudonym has been used
Key words: healthcare, immigration, Canadian labour force, healthcare wait times, Canada’s healthcare crisis, nurses, skilled immigrants, IEHPs, internationally educated healthcare professionals, immigrant labour force
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TORONTO, ON — The Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) is proud to announce that York United FC and Halifax Tides FC have joined the Canoo app, giving newcomers another way to watch and enjoy soccer — the world’s most popular sport, with a growing global fanbase that outpaces all others. York United FC is offering Canoo members 20% off tickets, plus a 10% discount on merchandise for the 2025 campaign and similarly Halifax Tides FC is offering 25% off tickets for the current season.
“Canoo is the best way for newcomers to discover and experience Canada, and there’s no better way to integrate than joining dedicated fanbases that cheers and pulls together,” said Daniel Bernhard, CEO of the ICC. “We’re so pleased that York United FC and Halifax Tides FC have joined Canoo, adding more live sports experiences to the app in addition to the rich array of culture and nature experiences we offer.”
York United becomes the fourth Canadian Premier League (CPL) soccer club extending generous discounts to newcomers via Canoo, joining Pacific FC, Cavalry FC and Forge FC. This exciting partnership brings another top-tier soccer experience to newcomers across Canada, expanding access to live sports and strengthening community ties.
“York United FC is proud to partner with Canoo, joining together to celebrate soccer in Toronto. As part of the Canadian Premier League, York United FC represents the greater Toronto area and its vibrant diversity. This club is a home for everyone — a place to come together to celebrate culture, sport, and community.,” says Jonatan Morgenroth, VP of Partnerships at York United FC. “With Canoo’s support, York United FC looks forward to connecting with soccer fans from around the world who have made Toronto their home and providing a space to support local Canadian talent as they develop into the next generation of soccer superstars.”
ICC is proud to also introduce the Halifax Tides FC as the first official professional female sports team to join their Canoo partner roster. This is a timely addition to the program as women’s soccer continues to experience faster growth in participation than any other sport worldwide with viewership and gameday attendance for women’s leagues rising significantly.
“We’re thrilled to partner with The Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC),” said Val Malone, president of Halifax Tides FC. “Both ICC and Halifax Tides FC are about bringing people together and celebrating community. This partnership gives us a great opportunity to engage with our fans, showcase our players, and celebrate everything that makes our club special.”
These partnerships launched on the Canoo app this season, giving Canoo members the chance to experience the excitement of live professional soccer right in the heart of Toronto and Halifax. The addition of both clubs helps round out a truly national footprint as it gives Canoo members access to engage with this beautiful sport from coast to coast in cities such as Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Hamilton, Toronto and Halifax.
About the Institute for Canadian Citizenship
The Institute for Canadian Citizenship is a national charity that works for a Canada where immigrants don’t just come, but stay, become citizens, succeed, and make Canada stronger, richer, and more interesting. Via its award-winning Canoo app, the ICC has helped over 900,000 newcomers integrate into Canada with free and discounted culture, nature and sport experiences.
About York United FC
Rooted in the vibrant and diverse community of North York, York United FC is a proud member of the CPL and a rising force in Canadian professional soccer. Known for its strong local ties, inclusive fan culture, and commitment to developing homegrown talent, the club offers an authentic matchday experience at York Lions Stadium. With several CPL teams across Canada already participating in Canoo, the addition of York United further expands the program’s reach — bringing the excitement of live soccer to more newcomers and deepening community connections through sport.
About Halifax Tides FC
Halifax Tides FC is a professional soccer club based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, competing in the Northern Super League. The Tides are dedicated to growing the game of soccer in Atlantic Canada, promoting inclusivity, and inspiring the next generation of players and fans. As part of a women’s professional league, the team proudly champions gender equity in sport and serves as a powerful platform for elevating women in soccer — both on and off the field.
These cases aren’t outliers. They’re symptoms of a systemic problem that’s left millions with limited access to even the most basic care.
And while Canada faces this dire healthcare crisis, a solution is staring us in the face. Tens of thousands of qualified, internationally educated healthcare professionals (IEHPs) already living in the country aren’t working in their profession due to a fragmented licensing system and copious red tape.
With IEHPs sidelined, the numbers are clear: there aren’t enough working healthcare professionals to care for Canada’s population. According to the federal government’s recent report, Canada’s labour market is short nearly 23,000 family doctors. Filling this gap would require a 49% increase from the current number of family physicians. And the challenge extends beyond doctors. Canada needs 28,000 more registered nurses, 14,000 more licensed practical nurses, 2,700 more nurse practitioners, and thousands more health professionals such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and pharmacists.
From April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024, an estimated 28,000 patients died in Canada while waiting for surgery or a diagnostic scan.
Longer wait times don’t just mean delayed treatments; in some cases, patients can’t access care at all. From April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024, an estimated 28,000 patients died in Canada while waiting for surgery or a diagnostic scan. While most health authorities in Canada do not track how many of these patients died as a result of delayed treatment, even those waiting for non-life saving surgeries may have experienced reduced quality of life before their death.
Several converging factors have created the current healthcare crisis in Canada. The population aged 85+ is expected to increase from 911,900 people in 2024 to up to 4.1 million in the next 30 years. This group requires more complex medical care and health services just as many experienced healthcare workers are retiring. At the same time, fewer new medical graduates are going into family medicine, instead choosing specialized fields that can offer higher pay and better work-life balance. But family doctors are critical; these primary care providers decrease hospitalizations, reduce mortality, and reduce overall healthcare costs.
Critically, Canada has been underproducing medical graduates for decades. Limited teaching faculty, a lack of clinical placements, and inadequate funding for training programs make it impossible to educate all the healthcare professionals that Canada urgently needs.
At the same time, we welcome tens of thousands of doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals to Canada each year. Since healthcare-specific immigration selection was introduced in the summer of 2023 more than 23,000 invitations to apply for permanent residency have been issued to healthcare professionals through the Express Entry system, with provinces also inviting healthcare workers. Yet despite the urgent need for their skills, a study of the 2021 Canadian census found that just 57.7% of IEHPs aged 18 to 64 were employed in health occupations.
As communities across Canada grapple with emergency room closures, unfilled positions, and growing wait times for care, the country can’t afford to keep healthcare workers sidelined. IEHPs have typically completed rigorous training in their home countries, often arriving with years of practical experience. In many cases, they have also invested additional time and money to pursue licensing in Canada, only to find that they are not able to complete the process due to systemic obstacles, such as unclear processes and financial barriers.
The Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) works to make immigration work better for Canada and Canada work better for immigrants. We recognize that new Canadians are Canada’s future; a vital resource with important skills and talents to contribute. IEHPs choose to build their lives here, learning new systems and adapting to Canada’s healthcare environment. Canada desperately needs their skills and talents to provide everything from day-to-day primary care to urgent, life-saving surgeries. Still, too many of these professionals are working below their qualifications, their expertise underutilized while the very healthcare system they came to serve faces critical shortages.
The question isn’t just whether Canada has enough healthcare workers—it’s whether we’re making it possible for them to practice for the betterment of all those who call Canada home.
Key words: healthcare, immigration, Canadian labour force, healthcare wait times, Canada’s healthcare crisis, immigrant labour force
Roy Ratnavel has spent a lifetime defying expectations.
You might think that such a successful businessman would emphasize his own accomplishments. Instead, he talks only of gratitude to his father, to his family, and to his adopted homeland of Canada, which he chose long ago and continues to choose every day.
“Canada gave me a second chance at life. I owe this country everything,” Roy says. “Every immigrant has rights but also responsibilities: to obey the law, contribute to the economy, and build stronger communities.”
Roy’s best-selling memoir, Prisoner #1056, recounts his improbable journey from military dungeons to the highest heights of Bay Street. He was imprisoned and tortured as a teenager in his native Sri Lanka during that country’s civil war for the crime of being born Tamil. Recognizing the limited future for a Tamil boy during the ongoing Sri Lankan Civil War, Roy’s father told him to leave as soon as he got out of prison, thinking, “Canada might be the land of opportunity.”
“I landed here on April 19, 1988,” he says. “Eighteen years old, alone, with little money and big dreams, and I committed right away to make this country home.”
The early years in Canada were tough: trudging through deep snow to the bus stop, long factory shifts, and ever-present survivor’s guilt for having escaped the death and suffering that so many of his family and friends could not. Just days after arriving in Canada, Roy learned his father had been shot in an act of pointless sectarian violence.
Roy resolved to make the very most of his precious life and was grateful to be in Canada, where he could follow his father’s advice to not just survive, but live.
An act of heroic perseverance landed him a job in the mailroom at CI Asset Management. He retired as Vice Chairman. Yet despite his success, Roy is never triumphal. His memoir catalogues the many generous Canadians who helped him immensely along the way, people who admired and rewarded his hard work but also taught him that there’s more to life than money—that helping others is the greatest of joys. “Canada gave me freedom. It gave me an opportunity. Where I came from, you had neither.”
Today, he’s paying it forward through philanthropy and any other form of giving he can do. “There are three phases in life,” he says, “learn, earn, and return. I’m in the return phase now.”
Roy and his wife, Sue, just made a $1 million gift to the Scarborough Health Network, where he now sits on the board and leads efforts to improve mental health services for immigrant communities, particularly those affected by the trauma of war, which he knows all too well.
You don’t need millions to be generous. Even those in their learning and earning phases of life can still make a difference. “Give fifty dollars. Give time. Share your expertise. The joy you get from giving is worth so much more.”
He’s even taken on the challenge of helping other successful immigrants find their way to philanthropy. “It’s about showing others in your community that giving back is possible. When people see someone like them step up, they feel inspired to do the same.”
To those who think immigrants are a drain on Canada, Roy has a plain message: “Immigrants are here to build.” Again, it’s all about gratitude. “People born into freedom often don’t appreciate it. But those of us who choose freedom never take it for granted. I give to say thank you to this nation, which has given me everything,” he says.
Roy’s love of Canada is a calling that cannot be silenced. “Until the day I die, I will continue to contribute in any way I can to give back to a nation that opened the doors to people like me,” he says. “Canada gave me a life. I’ll spend the rest of it giving back.”
And to new immigrants just starting out on their journey, Roy has just one request: “Leave this place better than you found it.” It’s a simple maxim that says a lot about expectations —not the ones others have of us, but the ones we hold for ourselves.
TORONTO, ON — Daniel Bernhard, CEO of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship made the following statement following the conclusion of the three-day Council of the Federation gathering in Huntsville:
The Premiers’ insistence on increasing immigration levels to meet local economic needs simply demonstrates how unhelpful it is to set arbitrary immigration caps for mostly political reasons that in many respects operate independently from economic reality. A better system would do a better job of quickly understanding real needs in the economy and setting targets to meet them. A better system would also do a better job of ensuring skilled immigrants find work addressing the needs they were selected to address, and reverse declining retention rates for skilled immigrants, so they stay to build our economy instead of a competitor’s.
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About ICC
The Institute for Canadian Citizenship works for a Canada where immigrants don’t just come, but stay, become citizens, succeed, and make Canada stronger, richer, and more interesting.
Canoo’s growing network of welcome partners ensures that newcomers and their families can experience Canada’s most sought-after experiences as well as the tools they need to help call Canada home. Since 2010, Canoo has welcomed over 890,000 newcomer members. All recent permanent residents and new citizens can join Canoo by downloading the app for free.
For more about the app and the growing list of benefits for Canoo members, please visit https://canoo.ca/.
Canada is grappling with its most severe housing crisis in generations, requiring an unprecedented 47% increase in construction output to meet demand. We are also facing a stark reality: we cannot build our way out of this crisis without the skilled hands to do the work. While public sentiment toward immigration has grown increasingly skeptical, and federal immigration targets have been reduced, the construction sector tells a different story – one where immigrant workers are not just beneficial, but essential.
The Canadian Construction Association estimates a shortage of 85,500 workers over the next decade, yet immigrants with construction skills represented just 2.4% of new arrivals between 2016 and 2021 – down dramatically from 9.6% in the 1980s. As Mark Carney’s Liberal government pursues ambitious housing plans reminiscent of post-World War II reconstruction efforts, the question for Canadians isn’t whether we need immigrant construction workers, but whether we can afford to turn them away.
The Carney government has released the most ambitious housing plan since the Second World War. The plan aims to double the rate of housing construction in Canada over the next 10 years, reaching 500,000 homes built per year – a big ask considering the coming workforce crisis in the construction industry.
As Baby Boomers age out of the workforce, many sectors in Canada are facing labour shortages. By 2033, an estimated 134,000 residential construction workers will retire. This leaves a massive gap to fill to achieve the rates of construction set out in the Liberal plan. Currently, only 117,000 workers are projected to join the field, resulting in a net loss of 17,000 workers. These numbers don’t account for the additional workers needed to double our construction rate. Certain regions are dealing with especially acute shortages; Nova Scotia alone will face a shortage of 15,000 skilled workers in the next 10 years. Construction companies are already feeling the pressure: the Canadian Survey on Business Conditions found that concerns over finding skilled employees increased in the first quarter of 2025, while in 2023 the construction sector had one of the highest vacancy rates in Canada.
Beyond just increasing our construction capacity, there are numerous other reasons to prioritize immigrants with a background in skilled trades.
There are multiple ways to fill this gap in skilled workers. Targeted investments in apprenticeship training are critical given recent rates of uptake: from 2016-2021, the number of working-age people with construction-focused apprenticeship certificates rose by just 0.6%, while the number of working-age people with a bachelor’s degree or higher increased by almost 20%. While training more youth for careers in the skilled trades through programs like the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program is crucial, there simply aren’t enough interested young people to fill current labour gaps. Unless Baby Boomers are willing to work well beyond retirement age, skilled immigrants are the most effective way – and likely the only way – to rapidly scale up Canada’s construction potential.
Yet current immigration policies are falling short of the country’s construction needs. The proportion of immigrants with an apprenticeship or trades certificate dropped from 9.6% in the 1980s to 2.4% in recent years. Canada’s immigration system prioritizes university education over practical skills, and skilled tradespeople who come through the Express Entry system require a Canadian certification in their intended trade, automatically disqualifying many foreign construction workers. Through the Foreign Credentials Recognition Program, the Canadian government is funding programs like the UBC Bridge to Red Seal project, intended to streamline these processes for newcomers. More of these projects are needed on a large scale to integrate newcomers into the construction sector. Currently, most newcomers are left to navigate the complex recertification process on their own.
The path forward is clear. If we want to rapidly scale up our construction capacity, we need to harness skilled immigrant talent. Targeted immigration streams that prioritize construction-specific trades at scale will allow us to bring in the talent we need. Other key steps include increasing the frequency of Express Entry trades draws and aligning our immigration policy with future construction workforce projections. For those already in Canada, governments and national organizations should streamline the recognition of foreign credentials so we can get more skilled employees on jobsites quickly. Ultimately, immigrants are a key partner in solving our housing crisis and building affordable housing for all Canadians. Either we leverage the contributions of skilled immigrant construction workers, or we fall short of housing Canadians and immigrants alike.
Keywords: immigration, skilled trades, Canadian labour market, construction, Canadian housing market, labour shortages, newcomers, housing, Canadian workforce
Immigrants don’t just consume Canadian kindness, they also produce it in great quantities. Even those who may require support at first can become generous, devoted Canadians.
In this series, we’re highlighting the stories of Canadian immigrants who contribute to Canada with their philanthropy.
For this first installment, we sat down with Dr. Kabir Jivraj to reflect on his journey to Canada and his journey to philanthropy and what it means to choose Canada not just as a home but as a responsibility. Full disclosure: Dr. Jivraj and his wife, Munira, are generous donors to the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC).
A trained anaesthetist and critical care specialist, Dr. Jivraj, came to Edmonton from the UK in 1981 for a one-year visit with just a single suitcase and a squash racket. “I came for a North American experience,” he said, reflecting on the early days. “But the rest,” he smiled, “is history.”
“What kept me here was the way medicine was practiced,” he explained. “I felt like I was making a real difference, caring for the sick, the elderly, and the vulnerable. In Canada, I could live my values.”
That deeply rooted sense of purpose has shaped his life’s work. In 1998, Dr. Jivraj co-founded Age Care Ltd. to help address an acute shortage in elder care capacity. Dr. Munira Jivraj is a respected dentist and entrepreneur in her own right and has started and led dental practices in Calgary for over 30 years.
“If you’re not trying to make a difference in the world, don’t do the business,” Kabir says. “Be purpose-driven. Focus on doing the right thing. If you deliver quality and great outcomes, the success will follow.”
The Jivraj family has made giving a priority, including generous support to the ICC. They don’t just believe that immigrants bring value to this country – they prove it.
“When you choose Canada, you have a responsibility to contribute to it. Our children are proud to be Canadian. We are too.”
Dr. Kabir Jivraj
The Jivrajs are now among Canada’s most thoughtful philanthropists. Their giving focuses on health, education, and supporting vulnerable people – in Canada and globally.
It’s not about recognition. In fact, they shy away from naming opportunities. “With blessings come responsibility,” Kabir said. “And giving, quietly or publicly, brings joy. It gives us fulfillment.”
For those who question the value of immigration or who see immigrants as a burden rather than a benefit, Dr. Jivraj offers this gentle correction: “People who’ve gone through crisis come with a kind of resilience and work ethic you don’t get growing up with a silver spoon. They’re here with conviction. They want to build something better because they’ve chosen Canada.”
I walked away from this conversation feeling exactly how you hope to feel when you speak to someone like Dr. Jivraj: grateful, inspired, and reminded of the power of purpose. It’s not just about what you build. It’s about why you build it and who benefits along the way.
Thank you, Kabir, for choosing Canada and, through your support of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, showing us what giving back truly looks like.
TORONTO, ON — The Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) is pleased to announce the winners of its second annual Canoo Awards, which recognize institutions that open their doors to newcomers via the ICC’s award-winning Canoo app with exceptional effect.
The 2024 Canoo Award winners are: The Manitoba Children’s Museum (Kids’ Choice Award), the National Arts Centre (Breakthrough Award), Cisco Networking Academy (Innovation Award), Toronto Symphony Orchestra (Community Award), Parks Canada (Founders’ Award), and The Toronto Zoo (Partner of the Year Award).
“As Canada stares down an existential threat to our existence, it is even more important to retain talented newcomers, build their belief in Canada, and set them up to contribute their unique talents to our success over the long-term,” says Daniel Bernhard, CEO of the ICC. “Canoo is Canada’s largest immigrant integration service, but it is only possible because of our exceptional partners, whose contributions via Canoo make Canada so much stronger in this hour of need.”
This year’s Canoo Awards go to six exceptional organizations that have collectively welcomed over 107,641 newcomers with free admission and heavily discounted experiences in 2024 via Canoo. By offering one-of-a-kind experiences for newcomers, these organizations do a great service to all of Canada, supporting a strong and resilient society where people from around the world contribute to our shared future and success.
These second annual Canoo Awards are proudly presented to the following organizations in the following categories:
The Kids’ Choice Award recognizes a Canoo partner attraction with the highest proportion of child admissions via Canoo over the last year. In 2024, the Manitoba Children’s Museum welcomed the largest proportion of children relative to overall admissions.
Breakthrough Award:National Arts Centre, Ottawa
The Breakthrough Award recognizes the most visited Canoo partner attraction that joined the program within the last year, quickly becoming a new favourite among newcomers. In 2024, the National Arts Centre welcomed 350 Canoo members to its performances in Ottawa.
Innovation Award: Cisco Networking Academy
The Innovation Award recognizes the Canoo partner which demonstrated exceptional creativity and innovation in designing programs, services, or initiatives that provide unique value to newcomers. In 2024, 965 Canoo members enrolled in 2,036 free upskilling classes through the Cisco Networking Academy, developing skills in economically critical subjects like AI and cybersecurity.
Community Award: Toronto Symphony Orchestra
The Community Award recognizes the Canoo partner which has shown extraordinary dedication to fostering connections and creating a sense of belonging for newcomers through active community engagement, on and beyond Canoo. In 2024, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra offered a standing 25% discount, welcoming 1,800 Canoo members to experience its Masterworks concert series.
Founders’ Award, presented by TELUS: Parks Canada
The Founders’ Award recognizes the Canoo partner that has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to advancing the ICC’s co-Founders’ vision of an inclusive Canada that embraces newcomers and all they contribute to our society. A Canoo partner since 2012, Parks Canada is dedicated to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment within its organization and across Canadian society by offering free admission for one year to Parks Canada administered places to eligible newcomers to Canada.
Canoo Partner of the Year Award, presented by CIBC: Toronto Zoo
The Partner of the Year Award recognizes the Canoo partner attraction that welcomed the most newcomers in 2024: the stand-out favourite among Canoo members. For the second year in a row, this Award goes to the Toronto Zoo, which welcomed 57,311 newcomers to its site via Canoo.
These awards will be presented at the ICC’s 2025 Canada’s Difference Makers Gala, which will be held at the Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto on April 29th.
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Quotes from our Canoo Award winners:
“The Manitoba Children’s Museum is thrilled to be selected as the 2024 Canoo Kids’ Choice Award winner by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC). This recognition spotlights the dedication to our vision of providing an educational experience filled with excitement, wonder, and curiosity that all children can access. The Manitoba Children’s Museum cares deeply about our community and is extremely pleased to offer this wonderful safe space in which to warmly welcome newcomers, so they can explore, create, connect, interact, and enjoy learning. It is an honour to be part of the newcomer journey and to play a role in helping them feel at home in Canada.”
Sara Hancheruk, Executive Director, Manitoba Children’s Museum
“We are proud to be the winners of the 2024 Canoo Breakthrough Award and of our successful partnership with Canoo, which, in such a short time, has proved essential in helping us create a more inclusive and welcoming space for newcomers at their National Arts Centre. The NAC believes that the performing arts are vital to the human experience, and we work every day to ensure that we are an open and safe space where everyone knows they belong.”
Kondwani Mwase, Executive Director of Audience Engagement at the National Arts Centre.
“Cisco Networking Academy is committed to providing educational opportunities that foster an inclusive future for all. We’re honoured to receive the 2024 Canoo Innovation Award from the Institute for Canadian Citizenship. This award underscores the importance of designing education programs that supports and empowers newcomers to Canada.”
Raj Juneja, President of Cisco Canada
“At the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, we believe music is best experienced when it’s shared. Receiving this recognition from Canoo is truly meaningful for us, as it reflects the heart of what we strive for: a place where newcomers and all Torontonians feel at home. We’re honoured to be part of so many newcomer journeys and grateful for the opportunity to connect through music. Our partnership with Canoo has allowed us to welcome thousands of new Canadians, and we look forward to continuing to create moments of belonging and shared joy in our city.”
Mark Williams, Toronto Symphony Orchestra Beck Family CEO
“At your Toronto Zoo, we believe that everyone should feel a deep sense of belonging—both in our community and in nature. As we move forward with our new Guardians of Wild Strategic Plan, we are committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming space where all guests, staff, volunteers and partners see themselves reflected and valued. By embracing diversity and strengthening connections, we ensure that your Toronto Zoo is a place where people of all backgrounds can come together to learn, explore, and be inspired to protect wildlife and wild spaces.”
Dolf DeJong, CEO of Toronto Zoo
About the ICC
The Institute for Canadian Citizenship works for a Canada where immigrants don’t just come, but stay, become citizens, succeed, and make Canada stronger, richer, and more interesting. Via its award-winning Canoo app, the ICC has helped over 800,000 newcomers integrate into Canada with free and discounted culture, nature and sport experiences.
