Atlantic Canada

The economic fortunes of rural Canada depend on attracting human capital, and while international students are highly skilled & qualified candidates for settlement, they don't often stick around. PPF Fellow Sean Speer identifies lessons from two promising programs in Atlantic Canada which seem to be convincing students to settle, against the odds.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

The co-founder of HeyOrca! launched the social media solutions company because he wanted to learn how to run a business. It worked.

The CEO of Peace by Chocolate is on a mission to spread hope—and to be a major player in Canada’s candy market

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.

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: 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.

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.

Job displacement could disproportionately push women out of the workforce in Canada's jobs future. Women fill many of the lower-paid, often precarious jobs and if contingent work becomes more common it will entirely disrupt the notion of a career ladder - and leadership positions are already dominated by men.

Let's raise a toast to five exceptional Atlantic Canadians at PPF's Atlantic Dinner & Frank McKenna Awards in Halifax.

Why don’t a quality education, strong language skills and an open work permit guarantee success in Atlantic Canada? Fewer international graduates stay in this region after graduation than any other. Students and their advocates tell KELLY TOUGHILL what can be done to counter the trend.