At the invitation of FuturMig and the Osnabrück Geography Colloquium, Professor Emeritus Dan Hiebert of the University of British Columbia offered a demographic perspective on the future of migration in May 2026. At the heart of this fascinating lecture was the observation that, while the world’s population continues to grow due to demographic inertia, this growth is occurring at a slowing pace and with increasing spatial fragmentation. While some regions of the world continue to experience high growth, others are characterized by stagnation or population decline. This is particularly true of Canada. Forecasts predict that this North American country will begin to experience negative population growth by the end of this decade—a trend that is expected to continue over the next 50 years.
The presentation took a critical look at Canada’s strategy of using immigration as the primary tool for ensuring population and economic growth. This strategy is based on the premises that, on the one hand, the pool of potential migrants is inexhaustible, and that, on the other hand, societal acceptance of the transformative processes associated with migration remains high. In conclusion, the presentation highlighted the challenges facing Canada’s demographic future in a shrinking and increasingly polarized world. We would like to thank Prof. Emeritus Dan Hiebert and the many guests for a fascinating evening.
