Immigration to Atlantic Canada: Toward a Prosperous Future

Due to its demographic and economic circumstances, immigration matters more to Atlantic Canada than ever before. The region’s population growth is forecast to remain flat through to 2035 and the growing wave of retiring baby boomers means its workforce will decline sharply. These trends could place a tremendous strain on Atlantic Canada’s economy unless prudent policy measures are taken to alleviate their negative effects.

This report focuses on immigration as a key policy lever that can help support the region’s prosperity. It draws from a literature and data analysis and the findings of 22 interviews conducted with officials from the three levels of government, the immigrant settlement sector, business groups, and the post-secondary education sector. The report evaluates why the Atlantic region needs immigrants, its immigration trends and issues, and the new Atlantic Immigration Pilot and offers suggestions to support improvements to the region’s immigrant attraction and retention efforts.