One year into Prince Edward Island’s Population Action Plan, the province’s population is larger than ever at 153,116.
The plan focuses on recruiting, retaining and repatriating Islanders, with an emphasis on growing the Island’s rural population.
Workforce and Advanced Learning Minister Sonny Gallant said the Island’s annual population growth rate is second only to Ontario and well above the national average, keeping government on target to reach its population goals by 2022.
Population Action Plan year one highlights include:
- the working-age population is growing and on track to achieve the goal of 100,000 working age persons by 2022;
- Prince Edward Island exceeds the Canadian average for workforce participation;
- 34 businesses and 90 jobs created through the Start-up Zone;
- the province has retained over 10 per cent of international students graduating from UPEI and Holland College;
- Prince Edward Island is supporting rural population growth through expanding rural infrastructure and working with rural economic advisory councils; and
- the province is improving settlement and retention programs for new Islanders, including expanded settlement services, reduced wait times for language training, and networking for newcomer professionals.
The second year of the plan will focus on recruiting former Islanders back to P.E.I.
