TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS HURT IMMIGRATION TO CANADA

Immigration into Canada fell by almost half last year, hitting its lowest level in more than two decades as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted travel across borders. Final government data show Canada added 184,370 permanent residents in 2020, down from 341,175 a year earlier. That appears to be the lowest intake since the late 1990s, according to Statistics Canada data. It's also well short of the 341,000 newcomers Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government had targeted in 2020. It's a sharp reversal for a country that's relied on rapid immigration growth to drive its economy in recent years. A steep decline could have implications for everything from the housing market to demand for services in urban centres. Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino, shown, said the goal is to attract 401,000 permanent residents in 2021.