Poilievre vows to put cap on Canada's population growth

Conservative leader promises precise numbers ahead of federal election

- ALEX BALLINGALL

OT TAWA Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he wants to “cap population growth” to rein in housing costs, as the Liberal minority government signals it is considering reducing immigration levels.

At a news conference on Wednesday, Poilievre pledged that a future Conservative government under his leadership would limit the rapid growth of Canada’s population — which has been fuelled by new immigrants in recent years — to make sure it doesn’t outpace new housing construction.

The Conservative leader promised to put out precise numbers ahead of the next federal election, which Poilievre is demanding as soon as possible, as he accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government of juicing higher housing costs by letting too many newcomers compared with the speed of homebuilding.

“That’s not even a question of whether you support, or not, immigration. It’s a question of whether you support mathematics,” Poilievre said.