Canada won’t be increasing the number of immigrants coming into the country next year – but Ottawa is working towards bringing in even more of them in the future.

300,000 new arrivals will be welcomed next year – the same number established this year on a temporary basis – to accommodate an influx of Syrian refugees.

Immigration Minister John McCallum says the 300,000 figure will now become the foundational number for the future.

The Liberals’ Council of Economic Advisers strongly recommends a target of 450,000 immigrants per year – to ensure better economic growth.

McCallum says that’s a number to aspire to – but not in 2017.