Project
Democracy Solutions Project
A solutions-oriented look at how other countries are managing immigration and voter turnout
Nearly half of Toronto’s 2.7 million population identifies as immigrants.
As the United States doubles down on restrictive immigration policies, particularly around asylum, Canada is viewed as the friendlier neighbor where politicians describe immigrants as a possible solution to labor shortages.
But Canada now faces immigration problems too — a housing crunch and a rising cost of living. The government has made policy changes aimed at reducing the influx of temporary foreign workers and international students.
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This spring, the Chicago Sun-Times traveled to Toronto to explore how the country’s approach to immigration differs from the U.S., where it is a highly debated and politicized issue.
In this WBEZ Reset conversation, Sasha-Ann Simons talks to:
- Elvia Malagón, who reports on social justice, immigration and income inequality for the Sun-Times and traveled to Toronto for this project, along with photographer Ashlee Rezin. Malagón shares how Canada’s approach to immigrants and migrants differs than the U.S., particularly around how it shelters asylum seekers and the role nonprofits play in that, and how skilled workers can get express access to work permits and citizenship. She also explains the particular challenges newcomers are facing in Toronto and what lessons Chicago and the U.S. might learn.
Read The Sun-Times’ special report “Why We Traveled to Toronto To Learn About Immigration?” here.
