News Release

EDMUNDSTON (GNB) – The provincial government hosted an Economic Opportunities Summit on immigration and population growth today.

“Growing our population will help us grow the New Brunswick economy,” said Premier Brian Gallant. “To do this, we must keep our youth here, have New Brunswickers come back to the province, and welcome new Canadians in our communities.”

Faced with an aging and shrinking population, the provincial government is working with employers and community leaders to help position New Brunswick as a land of opportunity for skilled foreign workers. Attracting immigrants plays a key part in strengthening the workforce, one of the five pillars of the New Brunswick Economic Growth Plan.

Summit participants included representatives from the City of Moncton, the University of New Brunswick, and NouLAB.

“This summit provides an ideal occasion for decision-makers, community organizations and the various actors in the immigration file to share their respective experiences,” said Christophe Traisnel, professor at Université de Moncton. “These conversations are essential because they also allow for the exchange of information between the different actors: the best way to identify what does not work and, on the other hand, success stories.”

Discussions focused on the actions implemented over the past year, including employer and immigrant recruitment, settlement and retention, francophone immigration, and generating public awareness to foster welcoming communities.

The event was a follow-up to a series of Economic Opportunities Summits held throughout the province over the last two years to identify new prospects for job creation and economic growth.