'Time to get some facts out': Pro-immigration billboards go up in Halifax area

Less than two weeks after a controversial political adwarningCanadians to "Say NO to Mass Immigration" was taken down in Halifax, nine new billboards sharing a pro-immigrationmessagehave gone up in the Halifax area.

The Halifax Chamber of Commerce, the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia and EduNova(an industry association for education and training firms) have teamed up to place digital billboards across Halifax and Dartmouth.

"We felt it was time to get some facts out in the marketplace about immigration," saidPatrick Sullivan, president and CEO of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce.

"Immigration is strengthening our economy in Nova Scotia, it's increasing our population."

There was public outcry after abillboard featuring an image of the leader of the People's Party of Canada was posted along a busy highway in Halifax last month.

MaximeBernier's party toldCBC the billboardswhich also popped up inVancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Regina were done by a third party.

The billboard ownersthen decided totake down the ads in response to "overwhelming" criticism.

"I think we were disappointed to see those billboards," Sullivan said.

The new billboards aren't in the exact spot of the former People's Partybillboard in Halifax, but Sullivan said the two are "remarkably close."

"We hope that anybody who saw that billboard will see the more positive message," Sullivan said.

He said he's seen a positive response on social media and is pleased people are embracing the messages.

The billboards went up on Tuesday and will be up for about a week.

They havefive different messages, including:

• IMMIGRATION GROWS: the economy, jobs and diversity.
• 15,000 international students add over $400,000,000 to Nova Scotia's economy.

Robert Batherson,interim CEO of EduNova, said he saw the previous billboard as an opportunity to provide factual information about the benefits of immigration.

He said they hope to get the word out that Nova Scotia is open to newcomers.

"When we open our doors to new Canadians, when we open our doors to international students, to immigrants, there is a positive economic impact from that," Bathersonsaid.

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