Thematic sessions
-Supporting rural immigration

May 16, 2023 – This session looked at supporting rural immigration to ensure that the benefits of immigration reach all parts of Canada. The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and the Minister of Rural Economic Development, attended the session. There was also representation from small businesses, research and academia, and civil society organizations, including service providers.

The discussion looked at best practices to attract and retain newcomers to smaller centres, and what tools are needed to empower communities to maximize their economic growth through immigration. Immigration is key to economic growth but participants underlined that communities must have the infrastructure such as transportation and housing, and essential services including healthcare, in place to retain newcomers. Participants agreed that community-based decision-making is critical to success, including understanding the local environment and what needs to be in place to attract and keep newcomers. The Regional and Northern Immigration Pilot and the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot were both raised as success stories.

Participants also noted the complexity of the immigration system, the rules around access to settlement supports and a general need for more resources to settle newcomers and promote smaller centres. They spoke of supporting employers in welcoming newcomers and becoming “immigration ready”, and put forward the idea of having a local champion to unlock opportunities and inspire others.

Participants noted that formal settlement supports are not always enough, stressing the importance of informal community connections and relationship building. They shared that attracting newcomers to rural areas starts with helping people make informed decisions because the reality is that rural living is not for everyone and newcomers need to see a future in their rural community beyond what first brought them there. Participants noted that families are more likely to stay long-term than individuals, and stressed that consideration needs to be given to the whole family.