UN Refugee Chief Says Reducing Refugee Targets Is Wise If It Prevents Backlash

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi in his office on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, on Nov. 4, 2024. The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld

The head of the United Nations refugee agency says it is wise of Canada to scale back the number of new refugees it plans to resettle if that helps stabilize the housing market and prevents backlash against newcomers.

Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, met with the prime minister in Ottawa on Monday.