Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): Amid heated national debates surrounding immigration, organizations that assist newcomers in Alberta are reporting a troubling rise in racially motivated hostility, both online and in public spaces.
Shamaila Akram, a community advocate with Calgary’s Centre for Newcomers, says she has grown used to being the target of racial slurs—but remains deeply concerned about the growing anxiety among new immigrants, especially women.
“Many of our clients are now coming in with severe stress or even panic attacks after being subjected to harassment right outside our offices,” Akram shared. “Women in hijabs have been particularly targeted, and some have even been verbally assaulted in the downtown core.”
Akram herself has been shouted at multiple times this year while out with her children, with passersby yelling things like “Go back to where you came from.” In some cases, she said, the aggression has bordered on physical intimidation.
The Canadian Anti-Hate Network attributes the spike in anti-immigrant sentiment to increasingly charged discussions around immigration in both Canada and the U.S. “We’re seeing a noticeable surge in online hate, particularly directed at South Asian communities,” said executive director Evan Balgord. “Old, dangerous stereotypes are resurfacing—portraying migrants as dirty, criminal, or a threat to society.”
Security has now become a concern for frontline organizations. At Calgary’s Centre for Newcomers, chief program officer Kelly Ernst said the team has had to step up building security, scale back online outreach, and increase staffing on its crisis support lines.
“We’ve seen an increase in harassment of our staff and even random passersby screaming insults at our office,” said Ernst. He believes the timing of these incidents aligns with recent political rhetoric, including the province’s “Alberta Next” listening tour initiated by Premier Danielle Smith.
Ernst criticized the panel for stoking resentment. “We don’t deny that Alberta’s population is growing rapidly,” he said, “but it’s misleading—and harmful—to blame immigrants for housing shortages or infrastructure strain. That’s a failure of long-term government planning, not the people who are coming here hoping to contribute.”
The “Alberta Next” panel, which has already held sessions in Red Deer and Edmonton and is set to travel to Fort McMurray and Lloydminster next month, includes a controversial survey on immigration. One video tied to the panel suggests that Alberta might consider restricting social programs to non-citizens or residents without “Alberta-approved” immigration status.
It also suggests immigration is a contributing factor to rising housing costs and unemployment, while claiming that “divisions and disputes from other countries” are being imported into Canadian society.
In response to the backlash, Premier Smith’s press secretary defended Alberta’s stance. “The influx of migrants under Trudeau’s open-door immigration policy has overwhelmed systems and sent housing prices soaring,” read a statement from Sam Blackett, claiming many arrivals lacked adequate vetting or employment prospects.
Still, the Alberta government insists it stands against racism. Immigration Minister Joseph Schow said in a statement, “Alberta is committed to building a province where everyone feels valued, regardless of where they come from. Immigrants are key to Alberta’s economic success, and their safety is a top priority.”
In Edmonton, Laurie Hauer, interim director of the city’s Newcomer Centre, emphasized that public education is essential to countering misinformation. “We must reinforce the reality that immigration drives economic growth, not division,” she said, adding that multiple clients and staff at her organization have faced harassment over the past year.
Akram echoed that sentiment. “Alberta takes pride in its diversity, but if that pride is real, it must be visible in how we treat one another,” she said. “We need to shift from scapegoating marginalized communities to building stronger, safer communities for everyone.”
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