Over the past few decades, Canada’s easternmost provinces have seen a decline in population, so statistics that show Nova Scotia’s population has recently grown to almost a million are good news. The four eastern provinces saw declines in the fishing industry in the 1980s which prompted working-age residents to move to look for jobs in richer provinces such as oil-rich Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario.
Immigrants made a difference
But government statistics now show that since 2015, the population of Nova Scotia has grown by more than 23,000 people. And since July 2017, more than 9,000 people have come to the province. Of those 5,137 were immigrants and that was the second highest number of immigrants on record.
Tareq Hadhad is one Syrian immigrant who settled in the small town of Antigonish, Nova Scotia and opened a chocolate factory which is enjoying great success. (Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press/file photo)
Canada accepted tens of thousands of refugees from Syria starting in December 2015. A portion of those first came to Nova Scotia, but newcomers often left for other provinces. Now, more are staying.
Nova Scotia Member of Parliament Scott Brison gives some credit to a “significant core of high-growth innovation companies” which have come to Halifax “to form the largest innovation hub in Canada outside southwestern Ontario.”
With files from Canadian Press.
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