“Immigrants make up the largest share of the population in over 150 years and continue to shape who we are as Canadians”

January 19, 2023

As we look back on 2022 and roll into 2023 it is hard to not get consumed with the negative – the conflict in Ukraine, climate change, and persistent inflation and economic uncertainty.

My New Year’s resolutions include focusing on the positive, contributing to solutions rather than amplifying the negativity we see in the news and social media, and living up to my Vision Statement – “Building resilient, sustainable businesses and communities through sound policy and planning”.

As part of this process, I made the commitment to writing a minimum of two blogs per month in 2023, with a focus on the positive, solutions and my Vision Statement… so here goes!

I wanted to start off with one of the most positive influences in my life right now – the opportunity to interact with the University of New Brunswick Saint John (UNBSJ) MBA Program and an incredible diversity of mature students from here in New Brunswick and literally around the world.  This is my fifth year teaching the Business Opportunity Analysis Class and I had the opportunity to meet my new cohort last week.

I continue to be amazed by the diversity, skills and experience of the MBA Students, as well as the sacrifices that they make to pursue their education, many travelling around the world, and many with family still in their home country.  While I have the privilege to help influence their education, I learn as much from them as they likely to learn from me.  They are an informed, passionate and engaged group of people.

What is even more rewarding is to run into or hear from former UNBSJ MBA students (now graduates) who have found rewarding new employment and career opportunities here in New Brunswick and have formerly immigrated to Canada, many with their families.  These are incredibly skilled individuals who are directly contributing the resilience and sustainability of our communities and economy, some of whom are also pursuing entrepreneurial opportunities.

Those who know me or have read some of my earlier blog posts will appreciate the pride I have in my father, who emigrated from Denmark to Canada as a young man with horticulture training and $50.00 in his pocket.  In partnership with my mom whom he met here in Canada, they persevered in building a highly successful business while leaving a permanent impact on their community.

According to a recent Bulletin released by Statistics Canada, “Immigrants make up the largest share of the population in over 150 years and continue to shape who we are as Canadians”.

Here are a few key facts from Statistics Canada:

• Almost one in four people (23.0%) counted during the 2021 Census are or have been a landed immigrant or permanent resident in Canada. This was the highest proportion since Confederation, topping the previous record of 22.3% in 1921, and the largest proportion among G7 countries.
• The share of recent immigrants settling in Atlantic Canada almost tripled in 15 years, rising from 1.2% in 2006 to 3.5% in 2021.
• Over half of recent immigrants living in Canada were admitted under the economic category. Of these 748,120 economic immigrants, just over one-third (34.5%) were selected through skilled worker programs and another one-third (33.6%) through the Provincial Nominee Program.
• The proportion of immigrants who first came to Canada temporarily on work or study permits or as asylum claimants before being admitted as permanent residents was especially high among recent immigrants who settled since 2016 (36.6%).

Immigration is positively influencing and changing our communities, both large and small, here in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.  Our cities, including Moncton (year over year growth of 5.3%), Halifax (4.4%), Charlottetown (4.1%) and Fredericton (3.3%), are now leading the country in terms of population growth, which bodes well for attracting (and retaining) even more immigrants.

Great to see organizations such as the Saint John Region Chamber hosting a business mixer this month with the UNBSJ MBA Program – take some time to get know the many skilled local and international students who have chosen to pursue their post-secondary education right here in New Brunswick and our region.  Explore their education, background and personal interests, as well as their work experience.  Take some time to meet them and welcome them to our region.  Find ways to hire them for a coop term or special project.  Gain familiarity with federal and provincial immigration support programs, such as the Atlantic Immigration Program.

The Atlantic Immigration Program is a pathway to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers and international graduates from a Canadian institution who want to work and live in 1 of Canada’s 4 Atlantic provinces—New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador.

Our region’s largest employers have a strong track-record in attracting skilled foreign workers to our region and it is encouraging to see some of our smaller employers diversify their workforce through the successful recruitment of international students.

The saying used to be that our region’s greatest export was always our people, but the data now tells us that we have confidently reversed the trend.

Attracting international students and retaining our University and Community College graduates is an essential cornerstone in “building resilient, sustainable businesses and communities” here in Atlantic Canada.

The future of our region is looking a bit brighter these days.