Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot boosts Manitoba school enrolment

Immigration to Manitoba through the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) is boosting the number of students in schools of participating communities. For instance, Altona/Rhineland in southeastern Manitoba, which the Garden Valley School Division partly serves, is experiencing a surge in student population due to its participation in the RNIP. According to the latest data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), immigration to Manitoba increased by 30.7% in 2022, with 21,660 new permanent residents arriving last year, compared to 16,575 in 2021. RNIP saw a significant increase from 50 to 150 new permanent residents in 2021 and 2022, respectively. In the first quarter of 2023, 45 new permanent residents were welcomed, with a projected 180 newcomers for the rest of the year. Last year, the province welcomed 1,640 new permanent residents through the Temporary-to-Permanent Resident Pathway (TR2PR), a 51.8% increase from the previous year. Additionally, Manitoba received 1,790 refugees in 2022, more than doubled in 2021.