Loss of Immigrant Investor Program for all provinces except Quebec angers Wall

REGINA – Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall is frustrated that the federal government is scrapping the Immigrant Investor Program for all provinces except Quebec.

The program has come under scrutiny for allowing people essentially to buy their way into Canada without a long-term benefit to the Canadian economy and it was cancelled in the federal budget Tuesday.

Wall says Saskatchewan understands that Ottawa had concerns about whether the program was functioning properly.

But the premier says it worked well in Saskatchewan and attracted more than $160 million in investments that was used to build new homes.

Quebec’s immigrant investor program operates separately from the rest of the country and remains in effect.

Wall says it’s not acceptable for Ottawa to take one set of actions for the rest of Canada and a separate one that is more advantageous for Quebec.