It’s hard to ignore the growing hostility toward immigrants in Canada, and the situation in Calgary is a prime example. The Centre for Newcomers, a non-profit organization that helps immigrants settle and build their lives, has seen a steady rise in hateful comments—both online and in person. This is not just a statistic or a passing trend; it’s a disturbing reflection of the changing attitudes toward newcomers in a country that prides itself on diversity and inclusion.
Kelly Ernst, the program director of the Centre for Newcomers, has spoken out about the sheer volume of hate his team has to deal with daily. Imagine dedicating your work to helping others, only to be met with waves of online abuse and even in-person hostility. A recent Facebook post promoting a program for newcomer women received over 200 hateful comments. If this isn’t a wake-up call, what is?
Some might argue that online hate is just an unfortunate part of social media, but the problem goes beyond the internet. Ernst has pointed out that staff members are facing aggressive remarks in real life too. When volunteers and workers who are trying to support immigrants feel unsafe, something is seriously wrong.
This growing negativity is dangerous, not just for newcomers but for Canadian society as a whole. If anti-immigrant rhetoric continues to spread, fewer people may seek out crucial resources designed to help them integrate. That doesn’t just hurt immigrants—it affects the entire community. When newcomers succeed, they contribute to the economy, create jobs, and enrich our culture. When they are pushed away, everyone loses.
To address these concerns, the Centre for Newcomers has launched a volunteer security program to protect staff and clients. The Calgary Police say they are working with the center, but they also claim there isn’t a noticeable increase in hate crimes targeting immigrants. That may be true on paper, but let’s be honest—many incidents go unreported. Discrimination doesn’t always take the form of a crime, but that doesn’t make it any less harmful.
A survey conducted for CBC News found that 54% of newcomers in Canada have experienced some form of discrimination or bias. That number should concern all of us. Canada’s reputation as a welcoming country isn’t just built on policy—it’s built on the everyday actions of its people. If we allow hostility toward immigrants to grow unchecked, we risk losing a core part of what makes this country special.
We need to do better. That means calling out discrimination when we see it, supporting organizations like the Centre for Newcomers, and reminding people that immigration isn’t a threat—it’s an opportunity. If we let fear and ignorance dictate the conversation, we all stand to lose.
