Moncton sets new targets for attracting immigrants

The City of Moncton is moving ahead with its efforts to increaseits population by 1,000 immigrants a year by 2017.

The city attracts roughly 750 immigrants each year.

"I really don't think there is any greater compliment that a citycan receive than somebody moving across the world to our community," said Angelique Reddy-Kalala, the city's immigration strategy officer.

To do that the city is implementing an immigration strategy with four objectives:

• Attraction
• Integration
• Retention
• Business entrepreneurship

"I think it's up to us as community, as a municipality, as a partnership with everyone within the field that we really work collaboratively to help people feel welcomed," said Reddy-Kalala.

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Reddy-Kalala is Moncton's first immigration strategy officerand she's putting into action a strategy the city started to put together in 2013.

The city got input from 200 people, and consulted with nearly two dozen stakeholders and experts in the immigration field.

"Immigration is a huge component of New Brunswick, especially with the declining birth rate," said Reddy-Kalala.

"We really want to take direct control of our future, whether it's our population growth, as well as our economic growth. And a lot of that will come through immigration," said Reddy-Kalala.

Job opportunities

The city is the go-between with industry and immigrants, by identifying what areas inthe job sector need workers, and connecting them with newcomers with the right skills.

To do that, the city held several job fairs this summer focusing on the IT, truckingand call centre sectors.

"We actually had 10 hires as a result of those employment fairs so we're going to be holding another series of employment fairs on Nov. 19and 20," said Reddy-Kalala.

The upcoming fairs will focus on the manufacturing, customer service, hospitality and health and wellness sectors.

Moncton will be launching a Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) program, called Local Immigration Partnership (LIP).

The federal government provides funding to help cities with their immigration settlement programs.

So far 45 municipalities across the country, mostly in Ontario, have signed on to LIP, and Moncton would be 46.

Reddy-Kalala said the city is finalizing details and an official announcement is expected within days.

Fredericton is the first New Brunswick city to get funding from CIC for its LIP program. The city got $60,000 in April when it launched its initiative and it has been helping Moncton launch its LIP.

"We were really encouraging them and helping as much as we could," said Julia Ramirez, population growth specialist for Fredericton.

"We're also working with Saint John.In Campbellton they're also thinking of moving in that direction."