Ottawa 2026

Metropolis Americas Summit

Migration Measures in the United States and Canada: Reflecting on Immigration Challenges and bilateral cooperation

February 26, 2026
Ottawa, Ontario

Both Canada and the United States have often been described as nations of immigrants. Newcomers have historically made critical contributions to the economic and social fabric of the two countries. In recent years the perception of the two countries as nations of immigrants and/or newcomer welcoming societies has shifted. Survey data consistently points to growing public concern about the numbers of newcomers admitted and admission process. Increased attention is being directed at how governments are managing migration.

Economic uncertainty, border security and global conflicts have all made for greater challenges to bilateral and multinational cooperation on immigration. As regards migration, the ever evolving international and domestic situation calls for reflection on how Americans and Canadians can identify shared interests and work together to address these critical issues.

In part one of the US Canada Summit experts will gather to review the current immigration landscape in the two countries, with a focus on knowledge transfer and data sharing. Avenues for future cooperation in these and other strategic areas will be proposed.

The following themes will be covered in the program

· Immigration and Categories of Admission in the United States and Canada

· Immigrant Settlement and Integration in the United States and Canada: Deploying Data to assess Best Practices

· Understanding Changes in Public Opinion in the United States and Canada

· Asylum, Refugees and the Safe Third Country in the United States and Canada

· Rethinking the Bilateral Dialogue on Immigration in the two countries

Program to be announced shortly.

Registration to open shortly.

Hotel recommendations to be shared shortly.

about the Metropolis Institute

The Metropolis Institute (MI) pursues research and supports policy deliberations while providing key national and multinational platforms for knowledge mobilization.

Research

Supporting cross-sectoral cooperation, the Metropolis Institute serves as a trusted bridge for interaction, dialogue and learning between practitioners, policymakers, researchers and civil society through national and multinational knowledge mobilization programs.
We aim to provide reliable and timely research, data and analysis to enhance understanding of migration, integration and inclusion.

Publications

Metropolis Institute has three flagship publications that are integral to its knowledge transfer mandate.
1. The Canadian Issues magazine showcases academic work in the form of short essays designed to expand Canadians’ knowledge about their country.
2. A second publication, Canadian Diversity, introduced in 2000, focuses on the challenges confronting Canada and other countries arising from migration and rapid demographic change.
3. A third publication - The Metropolis eBook - highlights a selection of the cutting-edge cross-sectoral presentations in the immigration field intended for the annual Metropolis Canada Conferences.

about the Canadian Index for MEasuring Integration and Inclusion

The Canadian Index for Measuring Integration and Inclusion (CIMII) is a data-driven index that takes a comprehensive approach to examine factors within key dimensions of immigrant integration in Canada. CIMII uses trusted Statistics Canada data (Census, Canadian Community Health Survey, and General Social Survey cycles) to compare how immigrants (ages 18–64, landed or permanent residents) are doing compared to Canadian-born residents.

We assess integration across four key dimensions: economic, social, health, and civic participation. The analysis takes into account factors such as age, gender, and education to make meaningful comparisons and show which gaps are linked to immigrant status rather than other characteristics. CIMII shows both descriptive results (snapshots of differences between immigrants and non-immigrants) and adjusted rankings (how provinces and cities perform in closing or widening gaps over time). This provides service providers with a clear picture of trends and challenges in different regions of Canada. 

Learn more on the CIMII's website.