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CBC
17-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Islanders unhappy about changes preventing hiring of more child-care staff, MLA says
Prince Edward Islanders are still questioning immigration changes the provincial and federal governments have made that are affecting families' access to child-care spaces, according to the education critic for the provincial Liberals. Last year, the federal government announced it would reduce the cap on the number of people P.E.I. can nominate for permanent residency this year by half compared to 2023, taking the number down to 1,025. Then the province changed the criteria for its Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) to limit any new applications to people working in health care, construction and manufacturing. The program had previously accepted applications for the child-care sector. Before the changes, workers in the child-care sector were able to apply for a spot in the provincial program. Now, with more than 2,000 families waiting for access to child-care, they cannot. In the legislature Tuesday, Liberal education critic Gord McNeilly read portions of letters he's received from parents in support of early childhood educators (ECEs). "What do you say to health-care workers thinking of moving to Prince Edward Island only to learn there's no space for their children?" McNeilly asked P.E.I. Workforce Minister Jenn Redmond. "One doctor who has 1,600 patients stated, 'As you are aware, there is a dire shortage of professionals in the province. It is our ability to have our children attend daycare that [lets us] remain at work at full capacity.'" The letter was from a family doctor, whose partner is a speech pathologist. McNeilly said it was just one of the 28 letters he received along the same lines. In P.E.I., there are different levels of early childhood educators. At Level 2, applicants need a one-year certificate in early childhood care and education, while Level 3 applicants need to have completed a two-year post-secondary certificate program. McNeilly questioned why the government changed eligibility requirements for the permanent residency stream. "Instead of solving staffing shortages in our centres, this government is making things worse," he said. "Why did you change the immigration eligibility [for] child-care workers to only Level 3 early childhood educators, cutting off Level 2 child-care assistants from the PR stream?" Workforce Minister Jenn Redmond said the province will continue pick Level 3 workers for permanent residency consideration first. "The number of nominations have not changed," she said. "Those who have the education from Holland College, UPEI, Collège de l'Île will be drawn first and then we will continue to work through the levels." Although early childhood educators are no longer accepted under the AIP, the province said they remain a priority through the provincial nominee program. Here's how that works: Eligible workers can create a profile in the province's candidate pool, where they are awarded points based on factors such as age, language skills and work experience. We have all kinds of opportunities for ECEs that are in the system right now to upscale to Level 3 and we're breaking down the barriers and the red tape to do so. — Education and Early Years Minister Robin Croucher The P.E.I. Office of Immigration conducts regular draws from that pool, inviting selected candidates to apply for provincial nomination. If they're successful, applicants eventually receive a nomination, which helps them gain permanent residency. McNeilly said that argument "has no water," though. "The majority of people affected are Level 2s, minister. Why are you going to Level 3s? That makes zero sense," he said. "How do you explain to families in your own district that their child-care centres might downsize because of your poor policy and lack of a plan?" Robin Croucher, P.E.I.'s education minister, said the province's early years sector is "the envy of the country," given changes that have been made recently. "Our wage grid continues to be implemented, our ECEs are finally being compensated at a rate they deserve," Croucher said. "We want the best, and I will make no apologies for accepting only the best in our sector." McNeilly said the issue is about getting Islanders access to child care and retaining workers in the sector. "How do you defend your decision that actively makes it harder for people to stay and work in this province?" he asked. Croucher said strategic investments are being made in child care, with nearly 350 new spaces created in the last year and just over 750 more in development. On top of that, he said there are pathways set up for existing Level 2 ECEs to upgrade.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Immigration Minister Sarah Stoodley blames N.L. population decline on federal government
Immigration Minister Sarah Stoodley says Newfoundland and Labrador can't afford even a small drop in its population. (Ted Dillon/CBC) Newfoundland and Labrador's population dropped for the first time in 15 quarters in 2024 despite its record-high immigration numbers. Statistics Canada reports that as of Jan. 1, Newfoundland and Labrador's population had decreased by 0.1 per cent, a loss of 301 people. The province's population currently stands at 545,579, compared to 545,880 on Oct. 1, 2024. Immigration and Population Growth Minister Sarah Stoodley said Canada's changing immigration policies are the primary reason for the decline, despite 5,808 new immigrants moving into the province in 2024. "I think the confidence level of immigrating to Canada is changing," Stoodley said. In January, the federal government attempted to slash Newfoundland and Labrador's economic immigration allocations in half. The province was allocated 2,100 spaces under the Provincial Nominee Program and 950 spots under the Atlantic Immigration Program, totalling 3,050 economic immigration spaces. Federal Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller told Stoodley they would cut that number, leaving the province with 1,525 spaces. "I'm just gobsmacked, and my team are devastated," Stoodley told Radio-Canada in January. Days later, the federal government partially reversed the decision. Miller offered to increase the number of newcomer spots with an additional 1,000 spaces, for a total of 2,525 newcomers per year — a number that still falls short of the previous 3,050 spaces. "We're not whole, but 83 per cent is certainly better than 50 per cent. So we are very pleased with this. I think this is the best we can do," Stoodley told reporters on Jan. 31. Canada is cutting the projected number of new permanent residents the country takes in, from 485,000 this year to 395,000 in 2025, 380,000 in 2026 and 365,000 in 2027. WATCH | Sarah Stoodley believes immigrants feel less confident coming to Canada: In Newfoundland and Labrador, Stoodley says immigrants are necessary for the province's long-term economic sustainability. "Our economic prosperity relies on economic immigration," Stoodley said in January. "We need teachers, we need early childhood educators, we need residential construction workers. We don't have enough of them here. We need to go elsewhere looking for them, and we need them [for] the future of our province." With Prime Minister Mark Carney expected to call a federal election on Sunday, Stoodley said she looks forward to working with Canada's next immigration minister. "We can't afford a population decline.... We need to turn it around," she said. "Hopefully, after the next election and working with the new federal immigration minister or maybe the same one, we can get some more numbers up." Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to visit our landing page.
CBC
21-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
Immigration Minister Sarah Stoodley blames N.L. population decline on federal government
Newfoundland and Labrador's population dropped for the first time in 15 quarters in 2024 despite its record-high immigration numbers. Statistics Canada reports that as of Jan. 1, Newfoundland and Labrador's population had decreased by 0.1 per cent, a loss of 301 people. The province's population currently stands at 545,579, compared to 545,880 on Oct. 1, 2024. Immigration and Population Growth Minister Sarah Stoodley said Canada's changing immigration policies are the primary reason for the decline, despite 5,808 new immigrants moving into the province in 2024. "I think the confidence level of immigrating to Canada is changing," Stoodley said. In January, the federal government attempted to slash Newfoundland and Labrador's economic immigration allocations in half. The province was allocated 2,100 spaces under the Provincial Nominee Program and 950 spots under the Atlantic Immigration Program, totalling 3,050 economic immigration spaces. Federal Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller told Stoodley they would cut that number, leaving the province with 1,525 spaces. "I'm just gobsmacked, and my team are devastated," Stoodley told Radio-Canada in January. Days later, the federal government partially reversed the decision. Miller offered to increase the number of newcomer spots with an additional 1,000 spaces, for a total of 2,525 newcomers per year — a number that still falls short of the previous 3,050 spaces. "We're not whole, but 83 per cent is certainly better than 50 per cent. So we are very pleased with this. I think this is the best we can do," Stoodley told reporters on Jan. 31. Canada is cutting the projected number of new permanent residents the country takes in, from 485,000 this year to 395,000 in 2025, 380,000 in 2026 and 365,000 in 2027. WATCH | Sarah Stoodley believes immigrants feel less confident coming to Canada: Despite record immigration, N.L.'s population is on the decline 32 minutes ago Duration 1:28 Minister of Immigration Sarah Stoodley says Newfoundland and Labrador can't afford a population decline. She believes the latest numbers from Statistics Canada are a direct result of Ottawa's change in federal immigration policies. In Newfoundland and Labrador, Stoodley says immigrants are necessary for the province's long-term economic sustainability. "Our economic prosperity relies on economic immigration," Stoodley said in January. "We need teachers, we need early childhood educators, we need residential construction workers. We don't have enough of them here. We need to go elsewhere looking for them, and we need them [for] the future of our province." With Prime Minister Mark Carney expected to call a federal election on Sunday, Stoodley said she looks forward to working with Canada's next immigration minister. "We can't afford a population decline.... We need to turn it around," she said. "Hopefully, after the next election and working with the new federal immigration minister or maybe the same one, we can get some more numbers up."
CBC
20-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
P.E.I. childcare workers face uncertainty after change to immigration program
Social Sharing Some childcare workers on P.E.I. are worried about a recent change to one of P.E.I.'s immigration programs, leaving them uncertain about their future in Canada. Menindergit Singh moved from India to Canada more than five years ago and has been working at Little Ducklings Childcare Centre in Stratford for over a year. He wants to become a permanent resident. But in January the federal government announced it would reduce the cap on the number of people P.E.I. can nominate for permanent residency this year by half, down to 1,025. Then P.E.I. changed the criteria for one of its programs, the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), limiting new applications to those working in healthcare, construction, and manufacturing. The AIP had previously accepted applications from the childcare sector. The change leaves one fewer pathway to permanent residency for workers like Singh, who said he's unsure if he'll be able to stay in the province once his visa expires in three months. "It's not only me," Singh told CBC News. He is one of 18 staff members at the childcare centre facing the same challenge. Childcare workers prioritized through another stream A year ago the P.E.I. government announced it was voluntarily lowering its nominations by 25 per cent for 2024, to about 1,600, in an effort to slow population growth and give housing and services a chance to catch up. The announcement by Ottawa in January reduces that level even further for 2025. Although early childhood educators are no longer accepted under the AIP, the province says they remain a priority through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Here's how that works: Eligible workers can create a profile in the province's candidate pool, where they are awarded points based on factors like age, language skills and work experience. The P.E.I. Office of Immigration conducts regular draws from that pool, inviting selected candidates to apply for provincial nomination. If successful, applicants eventually receive a nomination, which helps them gain permanent residency. However, Singh said there's still too much uncertainty surrounding the PNP process. "We are really stressed all the time in the daycare. So we … cannot give our 100 per cent because we don't know what [the] next draw will be," he said. Parents, daycare owners pushing for change It's not just workers who are concerned. Some childcare centres and parents have started a letter-writing campaign to the province, urging officials to reverse the change made in January. Nicole Ford, owner of Little Ducklings Childcare Centre, said she is extremely worried about what these immigration challenges could mean for children and families. She said there are over 400 children on the waiting list for her centre alone. With only a limited number of graduates from local early childhood education programs each year, it has already been difficult to find enough workers. "It's essential that they stay and educate and care for the children. They've already built their relationships, they've already been here for a few years… they have relationships with the children, families, they know what they're doing. The only people losing are Islanders and children in this scenario," Ford said. Singh said he may only have a few more months to work with the children he has grown to care about.
CBC
12-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
Their loss, our gain: Canada positioned to recruit top talent from U.S. brain drain
Social Sharing Jennie Massey is always on the lookout for talent. She is a partner with executive search firm, KBRS, and actively recruits senior level executives from around the world. Right now, her eyes are on the United States. She said job applicants from the states would typically make up between five and ten per cent of their applicants. That number has ballooned to 30 per cent, and that's just since the inauguration of Donald Trump. "That is a significant increase in a relatively short period of time and I only expect that to grow," she said. The number of job seekers is rising fast. Tech billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has eliminated an estimated 100,000 federal jobs through buyouts and mass layoffs already this year. Those cuts have been in several federal departments, including Defence, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice. Other agencies like USAID, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have also been impacted. President Trump has called it an effort to root out government waste, fraud, and shrink a bloated federal workforce. But the so-called bloat next door could mean a boon for employers here, including in areas of great demand, like health care. "I have been really encouraged by the number of medical professionals reaching out to us looking for opportunities to move north of the border," Massey said. "And if this is a moment in time for us to inspire some … practicing medical professionals in the US that are thinking about Canada as a safe haven during what is a particularly challenging time." Massey said Canada should be thinking about how to "identify and attract some of the best and the brightest … that might be keen to join our research institutes, our academic institutions, our government, our healthcare organisations, our businesses and industries." N.B. immigration numbers cut by half The sudden increase in job seekers south of the border, comes at a time when Canada is restricting the number of economic migrants it lets in. In October, Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced a reduction in immigration levels, in an effort to stabilize population growth and relieve pressure on the housing market. For New Brunswick, Ottawa allocated 2,750 economic immigration spaces under two programs: the Atlantic Immigration Program and the Provincial Nominee Program. That is half the number of spaces available last year. UNB political science professor, Ted McDonald, believes the reduction was appropriate, given the aggressive immigration strategy in recent years, and the country's inability to absorb everyone in a way that was mutually beneficial. He said those adjustments "need time to work themselves out." But he said the high demand is still good news for recruiting people to areas where there are skill shortages, such as in healthcare, education and the trades. "When there are fewer spots available and there's an increase in supply, increase in the number of people who want to come, then the competition's going to get fiercer," he said. And applicants from the U.S. have some natural advantages. "People moving from America will have language skills… they'll have been educated probably in the United States, they'll have American experience. Those are all attractive characteristics … for entry into Canada because you're more likely to be able to move into employment." Push and pull factors McDonald isn't surprised by the recent uptick in interest south of the border. He said the same thing happened during Trump's first term in office. "But this seems different," he said. "This feels different." "I think the actual job losses, the budget cuts across government, but also … we're hearing from academics where funding has been cut and just the chilling effect in the American universities on the freedom of speech and the ability to undertake research." Massey said she received 14 applications the morning after Trump's January inauguration, mostly academic talent looking to join Canada's universities and colleges. "That is a very significant number overnight. We would usually get much, much fewer than that." She said there is typically a push and pull factor for recruiting people, and right now "Canada has an enormous pull factor, and for many individuals, the US has significant push factors." "I'm hearing from parents who have children that identify as queer and are worried for their well-being and their safety in the school system. I'm hearing from healthcare professionals who are struggling with the ethics of the abortion ban. So those push factors create an enormous opportunity for Canada … to capitalise on some of that intellectual talent." "Given that the US has made some questionable decisions, I think there is an opportunity for us to think about how we position ourselves in a way in which we can be welcoming and encouraging and inviting to those that perhaps no longer feel welcome and included in the United States."
