New Brunswick population decline raises labour concerns

New Brunswick’s estimated population is lower than it was last year.

Statistics Canada’s population estimate for New Brunswick has decreased three quarters in a row, down 517 people compared to the second quarter of last year.

But the president and CEO of the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce said the drop is no surprise.

“We have seen this coming from data analysis for many, many, years,” she said.

Patrick Bannon, a senior researcher for the non-profit Atlantic Economic Council said the population nationwide has decreased, due in large part to federal immigration cuts.

And while he said that will ease pressure on the housing market, it will also have impacts on the labour force.

“It’s definitely something we’re very concerned about, we have an older population here in Atlantic Canada than in the rest of the country,” he said.

Tulk-Lane said population concerns are the chamber’s number one concern – and that industries like restaurants are already feeling the impacts.

“Restaurants may be closing Mondays and Fridays because they don’t have the people,” she said.

“For the tasks where we need humans, that’s what we’re most concerned about, so that’s going to be really challenging in Atlantic Canada are those sectors that need hands on labour,” she added.

Meanwhile, Bannon expects the population will rise again after a few quarters, but at a slower speed than in past years.

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