Immigration Month 2022
June is Immigration Month, and Fredericton is celebrating with a jam-packed lineup of events. One of the busiest rosters in the region, it spans public ceremonies and cultural festivals, professional workshops, a virtual tour for prospective immigrants, and much more. A job fair for international students and newcomers on June 28 caps the month-long program.
The variety of activities reflects our community’s steadily growing number of newcomers, and the wide range of contributions newcomers make to our city. The calendar’s varied roster also illustrates the breadth and depth of our extensive immigrant support infrastructure.
Immigration is a top priority in Fredericton. Our five-year immigration strategy, launched in 2019, recognizes newcomers' crucial role in helping our city thrive and prosper by growing our population and workforce and spurring economic growth. Newcomers start companies, pay taxes, and spend money on goods, housing, and transportation. Many starts and raise their families here, contributing to further population growth.
Recent immigration figures show impressive success in welcoming and retaining newcomers over the past few years. In 2021, 970immigrants moved to Fredericton and in that same year, we welcomed over 1,200international students to the University of New Brunswick, St. Thomas University, and the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design. The number of international students at our post-secondary institutions continues to grow.
These figures are not accidental. They result from unprecedented effort and coordination among immigrant support organizations. While our team at Ignite Fredericton handles economic development initiatives such as programming, workforce development, and population growth, the Multicultural Association of Fredericton (MCAF) leads settlement and employment services, and the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce heads up advocacy and business-community liaison.
Behind these three lead organizations is a diverse network of local and provincial partners working together to help simplify and enhance the transition immigrants face. Our Local Immigration Partnership (LIP) is an excellent example of this team-based approach. A collaborative community initiative with 45 members, it emphasizes the voice of lived experience to develop right-fit solutions.
We are always looking for new ways to respond to newcomer needs. The Women’s Economic Empowerment Program, which gives immigrant women the soft skills they need to own a business or pursue a new career path, is a great example. At the graduation ceremony on June 14, we heard from participants how it helped build their confidence, networks, and sense of possibility here in their new home. Three participants have landed full-time jobs, and one now has the confidence and skills to start her own business.
The day before, on June 13, Family Fun Day at Kingwood Entertainment Centre was a staggering demonstration of our city’s ever-increasing multiculturalism, as more than 400 people came out for an evening of free bowling, laser tag, and other games.
While the work of organizations like Ignite Fredericton is essential to creating a thriving, growing community, our immigration strategy will only truly succeed with support from the broader community.
Of course, immigration is about much more than population growth and economic benefits. Diversity and inclusion are important cultural and social values, and newcomers make our city a more dynamic, rich, and interesting community. To learn more about Fredericton Immigration Month, check out the calendar by clicking here. And to read fascinating newcomer profiles, click here. Stay tuned for our immigration survey results, which we will release soon.
Meanwhile, I invite everyone to help celebrate Immigration Month 2022. You can be an ambassador for our city by extending that legendary Maritime friendliness. Newcomers repeatedly tell us that seemingly small acts of kindness, such as striking up a conversation in a park, playground, or on the bus, go a very long way to making them feel like Fredericton is home.
Doyin Somorin
Population Growth Specialist-Immigration
Original article: https://www.immigrationfredericton.com/insights/fredericton-immigration-month-celebrates-diversity-inclusivity-and-growth
