N.L., feds should be doing 'everything they can' to tackle population drop, says PC critic

The population critic for Newfoundland and Labrador's official opposition wants the federal government to help the province address a population problem that could be challenging to reverse.

PC MHA Chris Tibbs is calling for the provincial and federal governments to create a joint population recovery plan following the release of the new national census, adding the government should be doing "everything they can" to help the province's population from declining as soon as possible.

"If they need to help out financially, then absolutely. But if they need to extend work visas here, if they need to implement any sort of accountability or any sort of program that can keep people here," Tibbs told reporters Thursday.

"If action isn't taken, it's going to be a continuous decline."

Newfoundland and Labrador was the only province in Canada to report a drop in population between 2016 and 2021, a 1.8 per cent decrease, according to Statistics Canada. Tibbs called the stats "really disappointing."

"As a politician it's very hard to see people leaving this province.... But as a dad, it's also important," he said.

"I'm a father of a 14- and 17-year-old son. I want them to stay here. Make a good life in Newfoundland and Labrador…but we're seeing more and more young people leave, and we need these young people to stay."

In comments to CBC News on Wednesday, Immigration Minister Gerry Byrne said the data were in line with what the province had forecasted, adding the forecasts also show the province's population is expected to decline further over the next 30 years.

However, he noted the population of the province had actually grown in the three quarters that followed the recording of the census in 2021.

That came, Byrne said, from a spike in immigration numbers in recent years. He says the province is beating its current immigration targets, and hopes they can be raised further in the coming years.

"[The census] puts it into real stark contrast and really highlights the importance of growing our population in Newfoundland and Labrador. The consequences of not doing so are dire and significant," Byrne said Wednesday.

"We need to attract more younger people to contribute to the economy, contribute to the overall standard of living and the viability of our province. And we're seeing that happen. We're seeing a huge surge of new people wanting to come to a new place called Newfoundland and Labrador."

While Tibbs acknowledged that immigration will be key in growing the province's population, he believes more can be done at the provincial level, including the creation of a community benefits program, doctor retention, increased mental health supports and making the cost of living more affordable for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

"The problem is that people can't afford to be here," he said, arguing that residents can't wait for the next budget to see changes.