Bucking the intolerant voices heard at the Bouchard-Taylor commission, the Quebec government announced plans yesterday to continue increasing immigration levels to the province.
After weeks of debate and a warning from the right-wing opposition Action démocratique that Quebec would need to spend more money on integration and French-leaning programs before opening the doors further, Immigration and Cultural Communities Minister Yolande James announced plans to gradually increase the total number of annual admissions to 55,000 by 2010.
The immediate target for 2008 is between 46,700 and 49,000 new arrivals, James said at a news conference. Four regions are targeted for selection: Africa (27 per cent), North and South America (21 per cent), Asia (26 per cent) and Europe (26 per cent).
Quebec retains an estimated 80 per cent of immigrants it allows in. French language skills count in their favour. About 60 per cent of the total are able to speak French when they arrive on Quebec soil. The 2007 target was between 43,400 and 46,800. The forecast for actual arrivals this year is 46,300.
James said she has no intention of caving in to some intolerant voices heard over the last few weeks at the Bouchard-Taylor commission.
"Quebec needs workers. We are talking about economic development and we must not forget the good things immigrants bring to Quebec."
James noted Quebec will need 680,000 people to fill jobs across the province in the next three years, 350,000 of them in Montreal.
James also announced increased spending on integration and French programs. The total for 2006-07 is $239.4 million with most of the money - $188.3 million - coming from the federal government.

© The Gazette (Montreal) 2007