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PPF conference in Fredericton focuses on immigration; Atlantic Dinner features first Frank McKenna Awards
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Released:March 19, 2018
Project: Z - Atlantic Revitalization
On March 21, summit to discuss solutions to region’s population challenges, dinner to honour four Atlantic Canadian leaders
March 19, 2018
Atlantic Canadian and national leaders, including former New Brunswick Premier Frank McKenna and ACOA President Francis McGuire, will gather in Fredericton on March 21 to confront the challenges of immigration and immigrant retention at the Public Policy Forum’s Atlantic Summit. The conference kicks off PPF’s three-year project to support the Atlantic Growth Strategy and will feature the release of a new PPF research report, including grassroots strategies drawn from communities and employers across the region. Diverse stakeholders will discuss how to develop policy that helps municipalities and businesses succeed as the region’s population ages and shrinks.
“We’ve got lots of issues facing our region, from identifying immigrants to keeping them once they arrive,” said Frank McKenna, Deputy Chair of TD Bank Group, a three-term Premier of New Brunswick and former Ambassador to the United States, who will be in attendance at the event. “The only way to solve these issues is to work together.”
“We’re honoured to being playing a role in this full-court press to reverse the region’s population decline and ensure its future vibrancy through the contributions of long-time residents and newcomers,” said PPF President and CEO Edward Greenspon. “What Atlantic Canada is grappling with today is what the rest of Canada will need to confront tomorrow.”
Speakers also include Marta Morgan, Deputy Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and Kelly Toughill of the University of King’s College. See the full agenda and list of speakers.
Four Honourees to Receive Frank McKenna Awards
At the Atlantic Dinner in the evening, four leaders will be honoured with the Frank McKenna Award for Leadership in Public Policy for their substantial contributions to public policy in Atlantic Canada:
- George Cooper: A highly regarded lawyer, Dr. Cooper represented Halifax as an MP and served as a parliamentary secretary to the Attorney General and the Minister of Justice. He was managing partner and chair of law firm McInnes Cooper and was President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of King’s College.
- Doug House: A celebrated academic in socio-economics, Dr. House is Honorary Research Professor in sociology at Memorial University and previously led commissions on employment and economic recovery. He is the author of seven books and his next looks at premiers and development policies in Newfoundland and Labrador since 1949.
- Adrienne O’Pray: O’Pray is President and CEO of the New Brunswick Business Council and was previously Director of Economic Development with 3+ Corporation, Vice-President of Ambir Solutions, and COO of Atlantic Lottery. Ms. O’Pray is a champion of entrepreneurship and an expert in leading cultural change.
- Chief Terrance Paul: First elected Chief in 1984, Terrance Paul is a proud member of the Membertou First Nation in Unama’ki, Cape Breton Island. Under his guidance, Membertou has become one of Canada’s most progressive, efficient and sustainable First Nations, doubled its land base, and increased employment.
Since 2013, PPF has presented awards to distinguished Atlantic Canadians who have built bridges between sectors, contributed to public policy and shown exceptional leadership. The award was named in honour of Mr. McKenna in 2017 to recognize one of the region’s most accomplished leaders.
Mr. McKenna, the honourees and many summit speakers will be available for interviews on the day of the event.
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Reports
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Solving for Shortages in Prince Edward Island: Employer Experiences and the Labour Market Across Atlantic Provinces
Employers across Atlantic Canada are facing skills shortages and are turning to newcomers to fill job vacancies. Yet retention in the region remains a problem, and many immigrants who relocate elsewhere in Canada report employment as a leading cause for their decision to move away. A consultation with local business leaders, business council representatives, educators and immigrant workers provided insights into challenges and policy opportunities.
Solving for Shortages in Newfoundland & Labrador: Employer Experiences and the Labour Market Across Atlantic Provinces
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Solving for Shortages in Nova Scotia: Employer Experiences and the Labour Market Across Atlantic Provinces
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Solving for shortages in New Brunswick: Employer Experiences and the Labour Market Across Atlantic Provinces
Employers across Atlantic Canada are facing skills shortages and are turning to newcomers to fill job vacancies. Yet retention in the region remains a problem, and many immigrants who relocate elsewhere in Canada report employment as a leading cause for their decision to move away. A consultation with local business leaders, business council representatives, educators and immigrant workers provided insights into challenges and policy opportunities.
Making EI Work: For Consistent Economic Growth and The Atlantic Seasonal Workforce
Where seasonal work is more common, what kind of EI reform would both protect workers and help create prosperous local labour markets? This paper explores six options focused on Atlantic Canada, arguing that widespread use of EI by seasonal workers makes it seem there's more unemployed workers than is really the case – a distortion that negatively impacts the economic potential of the region.
Solving for Shortages Series: Employer Experiences and the Labour Market Across Atlantic Provinces
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People-Centric Economic Development: Lessons on International Student Retention from Atlantic Canada
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PPF Atlantic Summit 2018
The Public Policy Forum’s 2018 Atlantic Summit is the first major initiative in a 3-year project. From 2018-2020 we will conduct research, engage communities and decision makers, and work to support the momentum building behind the Atlantic Growth Strategy. The focus of our first year has been on demographics and the role of immigration as one approach to attract, and keep, the talented people who make Atlantic Canada home.
The People Imperative: Strategies to Grow Population and Prosperity in Atlantic Canada
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Articles
Atlantic Newsletter #6: People-centric economic development & taking stock of all things skills
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Atlantic Newsletter #5: Immigrant entrepreneurs
In the fifth edition of our Atlantic Immigration & Revitalization Newsletter, Kelly Toughill looks at what Atlantic Canada is doing to attract newcomers who will start or take over businesses, create jobs and build the economy. Successful immigrant entrepreneurs share their lessons learned and give advice to fellow and future entrepreneurs.
Analysis: As opposition to immigration grows elsewhere, Atlantic Canadians’ support is strong—and rising
The Atlantic region is consistently becoming more supportive of immigration than any other part of Canada, which is now paying dividends in population growth driven by newcomers
Immigrant entrepreneurs: Highly desired, hard to attract
Atlantic Canada is competing globally to attract newcomers to start or take over businesses, create jobs and build the economy. It’s obvious why governments want to recruit them, but it’s surprisingly hard to do.
Carina Lin: Be patient
Lin expected to spend $150,000 and launch her New Brunswick candy business in a little more than a year. It took more than three years and $650,000. She praises government settlement and business support programs, but wishes they weren’t so hard to find.
Wadih Fares: Save money and look for an empty niche
Nova Scotia’s premier developer feels an obligation to talk about why he came to Halifax from Lebanon, why he stayed, and why immigration is good for Canada
Joe Teo: Integrate as quickly as possible
The co-founder of HeyOrca! launched the social media solutions company because he wanted to learn how to run a business. It worked.
Tareq Hadhad: Adapt your product to the Canadian market
The CEO of Peace by Chocolate is on a mission to spread hope—and to be a major player in Canada’s candy market
Atlantic Newsletter #4: How small communities in rural areas can attract and retain newcomers
In the fourth edition of our Atlantic Immigration & Revitalization Newsletter, PPF and research associate Kelly Toughill explore the challenges that rural areas face when attracting and retaining newcomers and the barriers that newcomers face when living in small communities.
For Acadians, newcomers are economic saviours but linguistic threats
The Acadian shore of Nova Scotia is one of many rural areas of Atlantic Canada betting its future on immigration. But even French-speaking newcomers aren’t a solution to preserving the area’s Francophone heart.
Opinion: The corrosive power of “Where are you from?”
Opinion: If Atlantic Canadians are serious about boosting immigration and making newcomers feel welcome, writes Kelly Toughill, we need to find a way to have real conversations about regional culture and the come-from-away phenomenon.
Mill town’s struggle reveals rural areas’ unique immigration challenges
A small influx of foreign workers has sparked sharp reactions in Chipman, New Brunswick. Many see the newcomers as potential saviours of a town headed toward extinction. Others see them as competitors for local jobs. In between, a handful of immigrant families are trying to figure out how to feel at home. The challenges of immigration in small communities are different than in cities, both for newcomers and for local residents. Solving them may be key to the future prosperity of rural Atlantic Canada.
Atlantic Newsletter #2: What we can learn from refugees’ success in Atlantic Canada
In this second edition of our Atlantic Immigration & Revitalization Newsletter, PPF research associate Kelly Toughill talks to leaders and refugees across Atlantic Canada to understand what we can learn from their higher retention rates and overall success
Opinion: Provinces should be able to nominate siblings and cousins of newcomers
Our immigration system pits family reunification against Canada’s economic needs. That’s short-sighted and counterproductive, argues Kelly Toughill
Can refugees help save PEI’s way of life?
Some employers and advocates want Canada to recruit refugees to fill local labour shortages, Kelly Toughill reports. Others worry that would dilute the humanitarian mission of resettling the world’s most vulnerable citizens.
How Atlantic Canada businesses keep their foreign workers
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Events
Past Event
Atlantic Summit 2020
How does Atlantic Canada need to pivot priorities for regional economic growth and immigration for post-pandemic prosperity? Atlantic Summit 2020 brings together leaders in policy development, government, business, education and social services for a forward-looking exploration of what it will take to confront old challenges compounded by new crisis.
Past Event
Nova Scotia Employer Consultation: Finding and Retaining Skilled Workers
Employers across Atlantic Canada are facing labour and skill shortages. Retention of young people and newcomers in the region remains a challenge, and many people who relocate elsewhere in Canada report jobs as a leading cause for their decision to move away. To truly understand the issues that Atlantic Canada is facing, PPF and Professor Tony Fang from Memorial University are conducting a roundtable discussion in Nova Scotia to learn about employer experiences and priorities regarding hiring and retaining skilled workers.
Past Event
Atlantic Summit: Immigration & Revitalization
Atlantic Canada needs newcomers. Join ACOA's Francis McGuire, IRCC's Marta Morgan and the region's top thinkers on Fredericton on March 21 for a full-day conference on attracting immigrants - and how to keep them.
News
Migrants find jobs, prosperity — if they stay in region
Immigrants who stay in Atlantic Canada have higher employment levels, higher wages and face less discrimination than immigrants to other parts of Canada, yet the region struggles to attract newcomers and has the lowest retention rates in Canada.
Former N.B. premier says future of Atlantic Canada reliant on immigration
“I don’t think it’s overly dramatic to say the future of Atlantic Canada is at stake,” former N.B. Premier Frank McKenna told the crowd of business leaders and academics at PPF's Atlantic Summit in Fredericton. His concern over the dwindling population of the region is buoyed by optimism about recent action taken by the four provinces and the federal government.