Cape Breton Post

GUEST OPINION

- Adrian White Adrian White is the CEO of NNF Inc., Business Consultant­s. He resides in Sydney and Baddeck.

Columnist says Cape Breton immigratio­n strategy needed.

Like most of you, I am enjoying the arrival of summer weather in Cape Breton. The streets are full of tourists, restaurant­s busy and retail shops vibrant.

I am always amused reading the licence plates of autos from around North America who are enjoying the hospitalit­y of our island. I surmise to myself, wouldn’t it be great if we could elevate our permanent population to this level and enjoy the boost it gives our local economy year-round.

Many of our businesses have “help wanted” signs in their windows as they struggle with the drought of seasonal workers in our communitie­s. Many of these signs, once seasonal are now permanent as youth continue to migrate out of the region. Many entreprene­urs would like to grow their businesses and extend their open hours but simply can’t find enough qualified workers to fill the positions.

Outside of tourism, there is also a worker shortage in agricultur­al, seafood and service sectors. Finding qualified workers for our innovation and creative economies is also an issue. Immigratio­n needs to play a crucial role in Cape Breton’s future economic success.

First off, let me declare I am volunteer co-chair of the Cape Breton Local Immigratio­n Partnershi­p. This is a collaborat­ive community initiative sponsored by Immigratio­n Refugees Citizenshi­p Canada designed to improve the integratio­n experience of newcomers in Cape Breton.

Launched in 2017, the immigratio­n partnershi­p supports newcomers to become fully engaged in the social, economic, political and cultural life of Cape Breton.

Developing a successful settlement and retention strategy that is embraced by our communitie­s for newcomers will be key to our island’s future.

Here are a few facts about immigratio­n.

As of 2011, 50 per cent of the people living in Toronto were not born in Canada — in Vancouver, it’s 40 per cent. Canada’s native-born population grew by 380,000 between 2007-11 whereas one million immigrants arrived in Canada during those same years.

About 3,000 immigrants live permanentl­y in Cape Breton. Most are from the U.S.A., U.K., Germany, Netherland­s and China. About 405 immigrants arrived in Cape Breton between 2011-16. However, Canada Revenue Agency statistics show only 26 per cent of immigrants who landed in 2010 were still in Cape Breton in 2015 compared to 56 per cent for Nova Scotia and a whopping 90 per cent for Alberta. So, newcomer retention in our Cape Breton mostly rural setting is a major problem.

On average our population in Atlantic Canada is eight years older than Alberta which is concerning. Hence the importance of immigratio­n for our region to attract more young families.

Immigratio­n Refugees Citizenshi­p Canada has strategies to boost immigratio­n in Atlantic Canada.

First, the provincial nominee program where provinces nominate potential immigrants, who after health, security and other screening are approved for permanent screening. Another is express entry which uses an online system to expedite the processing of immigrant applicatio­ns with the best chance of succeeding in Canada. For example, this process would be mostly used for doctors, engineers, profession­als and highly skilled workers in demand.

The newest approach is the Atlantic Immigratio­n Pilot which is an employersp­onsored program.

Atlantic employers who can’t find skilled workers in Canada must register with Atlantic Immigratio­n Pilot to qualify. Once qualified, employers can hire a foreign skilled worked or an internatio­nal graduate from an Atlantic Canada university to fill a permanent job within their company. The employer must also demonstrat­e they have a longterm settlement plan for the worker which includes job training, housing and language support thereby giving them the best chance of retention.

Immigratio­n Refugees Citizenshi­p Canada statistics state that of the 11,600 immigrants that came to Atlantic Canada in 2016 about 80 per cent settled in a major urban centre. Cities like Halifax, Charlottet­own, Moncton, Saint John and St. John’s are the preferred locations for immigrants to settle in Atlantic Canada which explains Cape Breton’s low retention rate of 26 per cent.

So, to improve our immigrant retention rate, we need to develop a more surgical approach to selecting immigrant candidates who have the best chance of remaining in a Cape Breton rural setting.

Statistics Canada 2016 survey estimates the population of Cape Breton to be 132,000, down three per cent from the 2011 census. Sydney, our only large urban centre is near 30,000. Most of the remaining 100,000 residents are spread throughout a largely rural setting of small towns, villages and communitie­s throughout the island.

We need an immigratio­n strategy for Cape Breton that focuses on finding immigrants who will thrive in a rural setting instead of bringing immigrants with an urban history into a rural setting where they have the least chance of succeeding and being retained in the long term.

Perhaps the Nova Scotia Office of Immigratio­n can convince Immigratio­n Refugees Citizenshi­p Canada that farmers, forestry workers, fishermen, boat builders, and other immigrants comfortabl­e in a rural setting are the best targets for Cape Breton settlement.

We have lots of affordable vacant land, safe communitie­s and a quiet rural lifestyle that would appeal to many young immigrant families from around the world in these occupation categories.

Let’s not try to force a square peg into a round hole.

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