Trudeau's Liberal government was criticized for its plan to allow 500,000 new permanent residents into the country in each of the next two years.
Trudeau, who is facing calls from within his own party not to seek a fourth term, has endured mounting criticism over his immigration policies and the negative impact that population growth has had on housing affordability.
Trudeau said Canada needs to stabilize its population growth to allow all levels of government to make necessary changes to health care, housing and social services so that it can accommodate more people in the future.
Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the opposition Conservative Party, accused Trudeau of destroying the national consensus on immigration.
“He has destroyed our immigration system through his own personal incompetence and destroyed 150 years of common sense consensus with the Liberals and Conservatives on that subject," Poilievre said.
“He cannot fix what he broke on immigration and housing or anything else because he is busy fighting his own caucus,” he added.
Poilievre was referring to calls by some lawmakers from Trudeau's own party to not run for a fourth term. Those calls represent one of the biggest tests of Trudeau's political career, but he said Thursday that he intends to stay on through the next election.
