How do you grow N.L.'s population?
asserted
you → grow → population
Province wants feedback as fertility rate hits record low
Provincial fertility rate now 1.08 children per woman, according to Statistics Canada
uncertain
rate → want → Canada
The provincial government wants more people in Newfoundland and Labrador, as fertility rates hit an all-time low and population growth slows amid federal cuts to immigration.
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growth → want → immigration
"I will...have a smile once we have more births than deaths," said Lin Paddock, minister of jobs, growth and immigration.
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Paddock → have → jobs
The province is developing a five-year population growth strategy, and asking the public for feedback in an online survey.
More people are dying each year in N.L. than being born.
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people → develop → N.L.
Meanwhile the fertility rate is a record-low 1.08 children per woman, according to Statistics Canada — among the lowest numbers in the country.
uncertain
rate → accord → country
Migration is the only reason the population has been growing.
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population → grow → ?
But that growth has slowed across the country recently, as the federal government cuts immigration targets.
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government → slow → targets
But with mega-projects on the horizon, the province needs more workers, says Paddock.
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Paddock → need → workers
Plus, people are "greying," he said.
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he → grey → ?
"It's important that we grow the population now," said Paddock.
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Paddock → grow → population
So how do you get more people here?
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you → get → people
The province wants more control over immigration, says Paddock, noting Atlantic provinces have asked Ottawa for more numbers and quicker processing.
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provinces → want → numbers
N.L. recently got approval for 1,000 additional immigrants, he said.
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he → get → immigrants
Immigration is key to growing the population, but there also needs to be support for newcomers, says MUN economics professor Tony Fang, who specializes in immigration research.
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who → grow → research
Government should aim to "make the community more inclusive, more supportive, more friendly," Fang said.
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Fang → aim → ?
Paddock also points to locals moving home as a way to grow the population, and of course: having more babies.
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locals → point → babies
"If people can see a positive future then I think they’re going to invest in families," said Paddock, pointing to the need for strong economic conditions, education and health care.
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Paddock → see → conditions
It's not the first time provincial leaders have wanted to grow the population.
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leaders → want → population
In 2007, then-premier Danny Williams promised $1,000 for every child born or adopted.
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Williams → promise → child
A baby bonus isn't really effective policy, says Fang.
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Fang → say → ?
What would help, Fang says, are things like child care subsidies, education supports, and meaningful employment.
"If the provincial government is really serious about long-term population growth, economic growth, they have to invest," said Fang.
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Fang → help → growth
There's also been a "surprising" phenomenon of more seniors moving home to the province after the COVID-19 pandemic — which contributes to the older age of the population, said Fang.
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Fang → be → population
N.L. education minister confident $10-a-day child care is here to stay
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care → stay → ?
'Get ready to come home,' Wakeham says to former N.L. residents searching for Churchill Falls jobs
Surveys on population, rural revitalization
People can fill out a survey on population growth on the EngageNL website until Oct. 11.
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People → get → Oct.
Meanwhile, the province also has its eye on bolstering rural communities.
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province → have → communities
Paddock says encouraging people to live in certain communities relies on jobs, but also access to housing, education, and health care.
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encouraging → say → housing
The Aporia
