Declining population in Atlantic Canada has a simple fix; direct more immigrants to the region.
That’s what former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna would like to see.
McKenna says something needs to be done to address the region’s declining population problem.
The former premier says while bringing Syrian refugees to the country has been successful, the handling of immigration in general has not.
McKenna suggests the federal government implement a program allowing immigrants settling in Atlantic Canada to convert a temporary visa into permanent status.
He says right now, more than 70 per cent of new Canadians settle in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.
Atlantic Canada receives only about 2.5 per cent of immigrants.
