Province aims to increase population by 5,000 over 3 years

FREDERICTON – The provincial government has released their strategy on how they plan to grow the population and attract immigrants.

Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Jody Carr announced Thursday that their goal is to increase New Brunswick’s population by 5,000 over the next three years through “repatriation, attraction, retention and immigration.”

“We have new immigrants that are creating jobs through start-ups and through innovation, and we are ensuring that the people we are attracting do have an economic benefit plan as part of their settlement here in New Brunswick,” Carr said during a news conference Thursday.

The province is also looking to the federal government to expand its allotment of sponsored immigrants. Right now, there’s a cap of 625, but Carry would like to see it closer to 1,500.

“There’s a request, we’d like to have more nominees, that’s one strategy. Secondary to that, immigrants that have come to other provinces, we want them to come to New Brunswick,” he said.

The provincial growth plan is estimated to cost the government about $3-million over the next three years.