The following statement was read in the House of Assembly today by the Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills:

Speaker, today I raise up the performance and success of the team that has turned the tide on a seemingly intractable problem.

The plan, the effort and the team that this administration has assembled has turned this corner, adding not only numbers but new skills, diversity and social and economic growth. For the last two and a half years, the population of our communities has grown by 12,000 people. New families are arriving daily; where once our schools were seeing declining enrollment of children, for the first time since the 1970’s enrollment is growing.

2022 was a record year when we received 3,400 landed Permanent Residents and ran out of space to nominate more under the federal rules. We successfully doubled our spaces, and halfway into this year we have exceeded the performance of last year. We have received 3,800 new Permanent Residents, well ahead of schedule of meeting our targets of 5,100 by 2026.

And Speaker, our Ukrainian initiative is a model for the world. As of today, the Association for New Canadians informs me that 3,238 Ukrainians are here as our neighbors, choosing Newfoundland and Labrador as their new home. I recently met with the Ukrainian Ambassador to Canada who offered her nation’s gratitude for what we have done.

Newcomers arrive from Ukraine each and every week with a desire for a better life.

Speaker, given this incredible success, I ask all members of this House to say thanks to the team at the Association for New Canadians, to the team at the Department of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills, and the full community of people and organizations who make our province such a welcoming place. For the first time ever, immigration is on the front burner of public policy importance, and it shows.