SAINT JOHN (GNB) – The provincial government today released New Beginnings: A Population Growth Strategy for New Brunswick 2019-2024, which includes an action plan to increase the province’s population.

“Population growth is crucial to the future success of our province,” said Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Trevor Holder. “The attraction and retention of new Canadians is critical to helping us increase our province’s population and meet the needs of our employers.”

“The New Beginnings strategy delivers ambitious immigration goals and ultimately provides us with a roadmap for economic growth and renewed prosperity in New Brunswick,” said Moncef Lakouas, president of the New Brunswick Multicultural Council. “When newcomers are fully included in all aspects of society, they become partners in growing our economy and enriching the social and cultural life of our province.”

The strategy focuses on three targets:

  • Growing the New Brunswick population by increasing the immigration target over time, welcoming up to 7,500 newcomers annually by 2024. This would bring New Brunswick’s annual immigration intake to about one per cent of the population.
  • Supporting the retention of newcomers to New Brunswick, reaching a one-year retention rate of 85 per cent by 2024.
  • Continuing to target a two per cent annual increase in French-speaking immigrants through the provincial immigration programs to reach 33 per cent by 2024.

To achieve these targets, 60 actions have been developed as part of a plan that outlines four objectives and their subsequent initiatives. The objectives are:

  • Attract a skilled workforce that aligns with labour market needs.
  • Recruit entrepreneurs who will encourage sustainable economic growth.
  • Create an environment where newcomers and their families can settle and succeed.
  • Engage communities to foster a more diverse and welcoming province.

The strategy was created to address current and future labour market needs and is built on past successes and recent initiatives, such as the Atlantic Growth Strategy and the New Brunswick Multicultural Council’s New Conversations Post-Tour Report.

The strategy and action plan are available online.

27-08-19