Fredericton MP Matt DeCourcey touts new immigration plan

Fredericton MP MattDeCourceysays while immigration will not solve all of the provinces economic woes, immigrantsare needed to ensure prosperity and growth.

"Without bringing in more newcomers with education, with a varied set of skillsand bringing in their families to provide that support system... we simply will not be able to grow the economy and create more jobs for more people," DeCourceysaid onInformation Morning Fredericton.

Last week, the federal governmentannounced a three-year pilot project to bring2,000 new immigrants to Atlantic Canada by2017.

• Immigration alone won't solve economic woes, saysprof

DeCourceysaid while the province does havean "entrepreneurial and skilled work force"available in theregion,some industries are experiencing a labour gap, fromthe traditional natural resource sector totechnology.

The pilot project is a collaborative approach, said DeCourcey, and while Ottawa has opened the door, the provinces understand their specificneeds best.

"The provinces will have the opportunity to identify exactly which skilled workers they would like to bring in. They're the ones with the knowledge on the ground," he said.

Information Morning - Fredericton15:48Matt DeCourcey - Immigration Plan

Fredericton's MP weighs in on the government's new plan to boost the economy and population in Atlantic Canada.

Competition for already scarce jobs

Addressing the issue of competition for alreadyscarce jobs, DeCourcey said the program is about filling the gaps.

"So part of the strategy will be developing an asset map of what we have available to us, where the shortages are and ...we'll be bringing in newcomers to help address some of those gaps," he said.

• At creating new businesses, immigrants outpace Canadian-born people,StatsCanfind

DeCourcey said Ottawa needsto do a better job recognizing the professional and education credentials of newcomers as well as to ensure skilled immigrants and their families have a clear pathwayto Canadiancitizenship.

"That's going to take work, collaboratively, between the provinces, with the federal government, and we know that that's necessary, not just to recruit newcomers with skills, but to retain them and ensure they grow their families and live in our communities for years to come," he said.