Students bring billions of CAD per year largely via tuition fees and because of this the education institutions pressured the federal government. IRCC then made the exemption with the condition that the DLI must set up a quarantine facility which must be approved by its province.Yes, they never spelled it out but economic issues are the direct result of the pandemic. As long as the covid is active and causes lockdowns, the government will have to pay unemployment or stimulus checks. And if the pure public health concerns are so dominant, why are they letting in thousands of students and residents' relatives?
Family category is because of the enormous pressure by the sponsors via their respective MPs who in turn brought their cases at the Parliament.
Unfortunately, economy category outland applicants have no one inside Canada to speak for them vigorously.