Immigrants ‘can do good things’ for communities, says local MP

Local MP Sean Fraser said that immigrants “can do good things for our communities,” as he touted the Atlantic Immigration Pilot’s benefits to employers in Antigonish Tuesday.

The Central Nova MP hosted the info session that brought together designated employers and business with resettlement agencies such as the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia. All told, roughly 100 people came to find out how they can hire and resettle immigrants under the fast-track immigration pilot.

“Today’s event, in my view, demonstrated the success of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot in its early days and demonstrated an opportunity for growth of Atlantic Canadian communities and business,” Fraser told The News.

The Central Nova MP predicted that 2018 will see about 800 new immigrants plus their families relocate to Nova Scotia under the immigration pilot.

The employer-driven program offers a fast track to permanent residency for foreign workers with a job offer from a designated employer.

“It will allow them to hire a person internationally to move to Canada,” said Fraser.

Another benefit in his view is that it is easier for immigrants applying under the pilot to bring their families, making it more likely they will stay in Atlantic Canada.

Despite Fraser’s optimism, figures released last November show the pilot is off to a slow start.

Since it was announced in July 2016 as part of the Atlantic Growth Strategy and launched last March, just 31 people applied for permanent residency under the program in its first eight months.

Nova Scotia was given a quota of 792 slots out of 2,000 in 2017, most of which remained unfilled by late November.

This contrasts to New Brunswick’s 405 applications in the same time period, in a province that was granted 646 places under the pilot.

However, Fraser was confident that newcomers can breathe new life into a region whose population is rapidly aging.

He pointed to the example of Peace By Chocolate, founded by Tareq Hadhad and his family in Antigonish nearly two years ago after arriving as refugees from Syria.

Having started in a small kitchen, the business has rapidly grown and is hiring local people to fill jobs at its factory.

Fraser called this an example of Atlantic Canadian community spirit and making newcomers feel welcome, getting them back on their feet.

“We saw the goodness of our community come together and help a local family,” he said.