Yes, we are working with the employers in all regions of New Brunswick.
This past June, the federal government announced it would implement an immigration pilot project for Atlantic Canada in 2017. That project will help employers experiencing chronic labour shortages to recruit francophone immigrants. However, before implementing the project, we will have to make the local population aware that these immigrant workers will be arriving.
We have approached the Groupe Savoie, which is a major New Brunswick employer. It is situated in Saint-Quentin, a small community in northern New Brunswick of no more than 2,000 inhabitants. The business, which has between 650 and 750 workers, began slowly hiring immigrants to avoid triggering a negative reaction by local workers to the hiring of foreign workers. The integration process has gone well. However, the business is not ready to bring 25 immigrant families into Saint-Quentin tomorrow. First, those families will have no place to live, and, second, that might cause quite a significant culture shock in the community. In small rural communities, it is important to work with employers on virtually a case-by-case basis and work one on one to increase awareness.