May 29, 2006

Labour and Immigration Minister Nancy Allan today announced the province is on pace to reach its goal of 10,000 immigrants. The province has also launched the new Community Immigration Planning Website, a practical how-to guide for regions considering immigration as part of their economic growth strategy.

In the first four months of 2006, 2,897 international immigrants came to Manitoba compared to 2,343 immigrants in the first four months of 2005, a 24-per-cent increase. Allan noted that a major reason for this increase was a 51-per-cent jump in provincial nominees arriving in the province over the same period last year.

"Manitoba’s leadership role in attracting and retaining a growing number of immigrants in Canada through the Provincial Nominee Program is built on strategic partnerships with Manitobans. We are pleased to be on track to reach our goal of 10,000 immigrants," said Allan.

The immigration planning guide at http://www.immigratemanitoba.com shows communities how to get started, features real community immigration planning stories and outlines the steps to involve members of the community in making an immigration plan that works for them. The guide contains resource links, planning tools and networking opportunities to connect with other communities.

"We are eager to take the next step in supporting regions interested in benefiting from a share of immigration resources and preparing welcoming communities," said Allan.

Over 31 per cent of provincially-nominated newcomers to Manitoba chose regions outside Winnipeg in 2005. Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program accounted for 57 per cent of all immigrants to the province with 4,600 skilled-worker and business-nominee arrivals in 2005. The total number of landings in 2005 reached 8,089, more than double the number of arrivals in 1999.

The Community Immigration Planning Guide responds to Manitoba community requests for an immigration planning tool after Brandon University’s Rural Development Institute conducted case studies in the Steinbach, Winkler, Portage la Prairie and Parklands regions in April 2005. The interactive guide reflects stakeholder priorities and uses elements of Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s Attracting and Retaining Immigrants: A Tool Box of Ideas for Smaller Centres.

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