Fred Bergman is the senior policy analyst for the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council. (Submitted)
A new study says New Brunswick’s population is growing at a rate we have not seen since the early 1990s.
The Atlantic Provinces Economic Council (APEC) says the population of New Brunswick increased by 0.5 per cent per year between 2016 and 2018.
Fred Bergman, the council’s senior policy analyst, said a reduced outflow of people to Alberta due to lower oil prices is one the key factors.
Increased international migration through government programs — like the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program and the Atlantic Immigration Pilot — also contributed to the increase, he said.
Stronger population growth will lead to many benefits, Bergman said, including more demand for public and private services.
“People need to eat, they need clothes, they need to buy cars,” said Bergman, who noted there will also be a need for more public infrastructure.
“If you have more people, you’re going to need more housing. If you have more people travelling on the highways, maybe you need to widen your highways or put in more roundabouts.”
A dramatic turnaround is occurring in Atlantic Canada – read APEC's latest Report Card to find out more! https://t.co/1XceZYm1rT #AtlEcon #CdnEcon #Maritimes pic.twitter.com/AImupYWwTh
— APEC Atlantic Canada (@APECatlantic) May 14, 2019
Despite the population increase, the independent think tank said one trend which has not changed is the region’s aging population. There are now more seniors in Atlantic Canada than children and teenagers.
“Almost 21 per cent of the New Brunswick population in 2018, I think, is estimated to be age 65 or over,” Bergman said.
As the number of young people continues to decline, Bergman said lasting population growth will be key to addressing future labour shortages.
“The keys to growing the population would be to develop sectors that have high growth potential, whether it’s aquaculture, whether it’s cannabis in the case of New Brunswick,” he said. “As well, we’re seeing growth in the digital technology sector.”
APEC said it is too early to know whether these recent population trends will be sustained, but noted the population of seniors will not be decreasing anytime soon.
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