The Canadian Housing Minister, Sean Fraiser, has stated that Canada is now dealing with rising housing costs, and that the government may limit international student visas to address the issue.

According to Reuters, Fraiser told reporters this on the sidelines of a cabinet retreat in the Atlantic province of Prince Edward Island on Monday, August 21.

“We’ve got temporary immigration programs that were never designed to see such explosive growth in such a short period of time,” he added.

The increase comes as Canada has become a favorite destination for overseas students due to the ease with which a work permit can be obtained.

Fraser, the previous immigration minister, stated that the steep increase in the number of students was putting significant strain on some housing markets.

The official opposition Conservative Party, which is leading in polls for a federal election that must be held by October 2025, has stated Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government is not doing enough to address the housing crisis.

Canada, which has a population of approximately 39.5 million people, intends to accept a record number of new permanent citizens in 2025. Fraser stated that restricting the number of newcomers was not the solution.