A new study says the population of the three Maritime provinces is growing at its fastest pace in decades, thanks mainly to immigration and a reduced outflow to Alberta.
However, the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council says the population of economically challenged Newfoundland and Labrador has declined slightly after seven years of growth.
The turnaround in the Maritimes follows three decades of steady decline.
READ MORE: ‘Something is changing’: Saint John’s population on the upswing
Prince Edward Island, which has been boasting about its red-hot economy, reported the fastest growth at two per cent year-over-year.
The independent think tank says Nova Scotia’s population grew by one per cent, and New Brunswick recorded a boost of 0.5 per cent – the highest increase for the province since the early 1990s.
However, with an aging population, the number of deaths now exceeds births across the region – except in P.E.I.