Canada’s reputation as a welcoming nation is changing fast. Anti-immigration sentiment has hit new highs, with young men driving a surge toward far-right politics. Heated debates about housing and jobs have given politicians an easy target: newcomers. As these messages spread online and offline, racialised communities—especially South Asian and Sikh groups—find themselves in the crosshairs.
This post explores how politics, social anxiety, and economic worries fuel backlash against immigrants and why so many young men are embracing harder views. It breaks down the rise of far-right narratives, the link to rising hate crimes, and what this means for Canada’s multicultural identity. Readers will see how today’s anti-immigrant mood is more than a headline—it’s reshaping national conversations and daily lives.
The Rise of Anti-Immigration Sentiment
A shift is underway in Canada as anti-immigration attitudes gain momentum, especially among younger men leaning further right in their politics. What once felt like a fringe opinion has moved to the forefront of public debate. Economic struggles, worries about housing, and political finger-pointing are shaping a policy landscape that feels less welcoming than before. South Asian, Muslim, and Sikh communities see firsthand how this change leads to hate, discrimination, and exclusion.
Changing Public Opinion and Policy Shifts
Poll after poll shows that more Canadians now feel the country is letting in too many newcomers. Recent surveys highlight that nearly 58% of Canadians think immigration numbers are too high—a number that jumped 14 percentage points in just a short period. This marks a dramatic reversal from earlier years, when most Canadians supported robust immigration as a core national value. Now, worries about rising rent, crowded hospitals, and job security shape daily conversations about who gets to call Canada home (Environics Institute, 2024).
Real policy changes are coming fast. The federal government announced major cuts to the number of permanent residents and strict new limits for temporary foreign workers. The plan outlines a nearly 20% drop in new permanent residents for 2025, while making it tougher for lower-wage workers to get approval for temporary jobs (Government of Canada reduces immigration). Leaders say these cuts will cool pressure on housing and health systems, but critics argue it simply makes immigrants the scapegoat for bigger social problems (Trudeau announces sharp cuts).
Targeting Racialised Communities: Who Faces the Brunt?
Anti-immigrant talk doesn’t just stay on social media or in the legislature—it spills out onto city sidewalks and into workplaces. For South Asian, Muslim, and Sikh Canadians, as well as gig workers, the rise in hate is more than a headline; it’s a daily risk. In 2023, 44.5% of all reported hate incidents in Canada were tied to race or ethnicity. South Asians and Black Canadians faced a sharp rise in threats and violence. According to recent stats, hate crimes against South Asians grew by 143% between 2019 and 2022 (CBC on hate incidents).
Real lives are changed by this shift. Many gig workers delivering food or driving for rideshare apps deal with slurs, threats, and even assaults. Online forums and far-right groups push the warped idea that newcomers are “taking over” or changing Canada’s identity. Anti-immigrant stories, memes, and conspiracy theories, like the so-called “Great Replacement” narrative, are no longer fringe—they’re being repeated by people in power and on the street (Anti-immigrant politics is fueling hate).
Key groups hit hardest by this trend include:
- South Asian Canadians (including Sikh and Muslim communities)
- Black Canadians
- Gig and service workers (highly visible and often racialised)
The upsurge in hate isn’t inevitable—it’s fueled by stories that assign blame for complex problems like housing or health care.
The Role of Political Elites and Media Discourse
Politicians are now using immigration as an easy answer for tough challenges. Instead of tackling long-standing shortages in housing or health care, leaders from both major parties often blame immigrants for these troubles. When someone with a microphone says newcomers are the reason rents are up and wait times are longer, that message travels fast—and sticks.
Media outlets play a part, too. Headlines and talking points often link immigration to negative outcomes, fueling fears and resentment. Stories that highlight the cost of newcomers, without context or balance, stir public anxiety. As this narrative becomes everyday talk, it seeps into personal attitudes and routine interactions. Even those who don’t see themselves as prejudiced begin echoing ideas that “Canada is full” or “newcomers are to blame.” This normalisation of blame leads to more visible acts of hate, making life feel less safe for racialised Canadians (Canadian public opinion on immigration).
When political elites and media set the tone, they shape how people treat each other in daily life:
- Political speeches and policy announcements present immigrants as a problem to be solved.
- Media stories often focus on negative aspects, making it harder for facts to break through.
- Social media amplifies the loudest, most divisive voices, spreading hate beyond the screen into day-to-day experience.
Canadians now face a national conversation transformed by fear and blame. The consequences are clear in both statistics and lived experiences: anti-immigrant sentiment, once on the margins, now shapes policy, public life, and how safe people feel in their neighbourhoods.
Young Men and the Far-Right: Understanding the Shift
A growing number of young men in Canada are turning toward far-right politics, especially as anti-immigration talk becomes louder and more mainstream. While economic stress and social anxieties play big roles, the story goes deeper. Radical groups are targeting young men online, exploiting their worries about the future and what it means to be a man today. The shift isn’t just about policy or politics—it’s about everyday life, friendships, digital habits, and personal identity.
Online Radicalisation and Digital Echo Chambers
Social media, chat groups, and even online gaming platforms have become powerful tools for far-right recruitment. These platforms act as breeding grounds for extreme beliefs to take root and grow. Algorithms often push young users toward more extreme content after just a click or two, making it easy to stumble into an echo chamber where hate and conspiracy theories get repeated until they sound true.
Many young men find themselves drawn to online communities where hostility toward outsiders is the norm, not the exception. Influencers—some of whom openly promote racism and anti-immigrant ideas—capitalise on uncertainty, using memes, livestreams, and edgy jokes to pull users in. The spread of dangerous ideas is fast and persistent, and leaving these spaces can be harder than it sounds. Even small, casual comments or slurs can add up, normalising hate and making violence seem like a legitimate response to frustration.
A recent report by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) points out that violent extremist groups are actively working to radicalise young people through a mix of online outreach and social isolation (Five-Eyes Insights – Young people and violent extremism). As a result, the jump from online hate speech to real-world violence isn’t as big as many might think.
Societal Grievances and Masculinity in Crisis
Economic worries, the rising cost of living, and job insecurity hit young people hard. For many young men, these stresses are complicated by a feeling that their place in society is slipping away. Far-right recruiters know this and use it to their advantage. They present themselves as offering answers and belonging, served with a dose of anger and blame.
- Job struggles and financial dead ends become fuel for resentment.
- Social isolation, heightened by the pandemic, leaves many craving community.
- Messages of a “masculinity in crisis” frame shifting roles for men as a kind of personal attack, not simply social change.
Far-right influencers weaponise these grievances, promising a sense of control and identity. They push the narrative that traditional masculinity is under threat and that only by joining the “fight” against outsiders can young men regain power. Research shows this approach is widespread, drawing on old stereotypes while adding a digital twist (Exploitation of gender on the far-right). The rise of anti-feminist and hyper-masculine spaces online, often linked to broader alt-right and white nationalist movements, gives disgruntled young men a clear target—and a group to belong to (The Rise of the Alt-Right in Canada: A Feminist Analysis).
Case Studies: Recruiting and Radicalising Youth
There are concrete examples of how these networks lure and train young men for far-right causes. Groups like the so-called Active Club network blend fitness culture with racist ideology, attracting recruits with promises of camaraderie and strength. These clubs operate both online—using encrypted chat rooms and meme pages—and offline, organising “training” meetups that double as indoctrination sessions. The normalisation of hate in these spaces leads some to take their beliefs offline, resulting in violent incidents targeting racialised Canadians.
Police and intelligence agencies in Canada have recognised the problem. RCMP and CSIS have collaborated with international partners to track and disrupt extremist activity, while also launching educational programs to reach at-risk youth (Five-Eyes security and intelligence partners release report).
Community organisations offer resilience-building workshops focused on critical thinking, online safety, and healthy discussions about masculinity. Guides for parents and caregivers provide tips on spotting early signs of radicalisation and how to respond without pushing youth further into extremist spaces (Building resilience & confronting risk in youth).
Efforts to counter these threats must go beyond simple warnings. They need to provide real alternatives: spaces for young men to share their struggles, build friendships, and find meaning, without outsiders to blame or hate.
This trend among young men isn’t just showing up in polls or news stories. It’s changing the rhythm of daily life, what’s said online and off, and who feels safe calling Canada home.
The Impact of Far-Right Ideology on Canadian Society and Politics
Canada’s far-right movement is no longer a fringe issue. Its influence now reaches deep into daily life, politics, and public safety. Anti-immigration, nativist, and Islamophobic beliefs are spreading, fueled by leaders and media voices eager to scapegoat newcomers for the country’s challenges. As far-right ideas gain acceptance, they change how people treat each other and how the country makes its laws.
Hate Crimes, Violence, and Everyday Hate
Hate crime numbers are up, and the pain goes beyond statistics. Each incident leaves a real mark on victims, families, and entire communities. Police-reported hate crimes have surged in recent years, hitting racialised groups the hardest. South Asian, Black, Muslim, and Sikh Canadians now face higher rates of harassment, threats, and physical attacks, with many cases tied directly to anti-immigrant talk and policies. In 2023, almost half of all hate incidents in Canada were about race or ethnicity (a rise in hate crimes and violence).
Hate isn’t always loud or public. Sometimes it’s a rude comment on the bus, a slur hurled at a worker, or a cold shoulder in a store. Researchers call this “everyday hate.” While it might seem small, these regular jabs add up, leaving people feeling anxious, isolated, and less safe just for being who they are (Hate crimes in Canada). Gig workers—drivers, food couriers, and others—are often targeted since their jobs put them front and centre with the public.
Online spaces make it worse. Social media posts and memes turn conspiracy theories like the “Great Replacement” into slogans chanted on the street. White nationalist groups use the internet to organise and share hate, sometimes spilling into violence offline. Recent stabbings and public assaults show that hateful words can move quickly to violent acts (Hate crimes and incidents in Canada).
Political Challenges and Threats to Social Cohesion
Far-right ideas have moved from obscure message boards into Parliament and policy. Canada’s tradition of multiculturalism—once a point of pride—is under real pressure. Political leaders from both left and right frame immigrants as the source of economic and social problems. In turn, this fuels public anger and fear, making exclusion sound like common sense instead of discrimination.
Social trust takes a hit. People become more suspicious of neighbors and co-workers who look or sound different. This weakens the “glue” that holds together diverse communities. Racist narratives and exclusionary policy proposals, like cuts to immigration and restrictions on religious dress, gain ground. Far-right parties and political actors use fears about housing and jobs as a wedge, pushing for stricter rules and reversing integration efforts (Right-Wing Momentum: Canada’s New Challenge).
Canada’s democracy is feeling the strain. Attacks on media, judges, and community leaders who defend diversity have increased. Lawmakers find it harder to build consensus as voters split along new lines. What happens in politics trickles down to everyday life, where ordinary people pick up subtle cues about who “belongs” and who doesn’t (Rise of the Alt-Right in Canada: A Feminist Analysis).
Toward Solutions: Countering Far-Right and Xenophobic Narratives
This tide can be turned. Multiple strategies offer hope—if used together and with steady effort.
- Public education makes a difference. Schools and community groups can talk openly about racism, history, and the harms of hate. Honest conversations break down stereotypes before they take root.
- Media literacy builds resilience. Helping people, especially youth, spot fake news, memes, and online hate weakens the grip of viral misinformation. Workshops and online courses teach users to ask: “Who made this, and why?”
- Community support is vital. Safe spaces and support groups help those affected by hate crimes to heal and speak up. When organisations stand together, they make it clear: hate is not welcome here.
- Policy reform should focus on prevention as well as punishment. Stronger laws help, but so do access to mental health services, reporting tools, and pathways for victims to get justice.
- Involving youth in positive movements is key. Programs that give young people chances to lead, build skills, and form friendships across lines of difference can keep them from being pulled into extremist circles.
Far-right ideology thrives when people feel alone, anxious, or unheard. By growing understanding, building trust, and standing up to hate—online and off—Canada can push back against exclusion and protect what makes the country strong. For more on effective counter-extremism strategies and community-building, see the International Rise of Far-Right Movements and Its Impact.
Summary
Anti-immigration feelings in Canada have reached a new peak, with young men moving toward far-right circles and fueling distrust. This shift isn’t just a political headline; it shapes daily life, weakens community ties, and puts racialised groups at direct risk. The scale of this problem is clear in rising hate crimes, stricter immigration policies, and growing anger both online and off.
The urgency calls for action on every level. Governments must address housing and public services for all, not use newcomers as scapegoats. Community leaders and organisations should keep building safe spaces and challenge hate with real stories and facts. Every person can help by speaking up, checking sources, and building connections across differences.
