The population of the Maritimes is nearing 2 million, but will they stay?

The Maritimes is on its way to a population of two million people, according to numbers released by Statistics Canada.

Growth in New Brunswick and P.E.I. is pushing the region’s population to the new milestone, after Nova Scotia reached one million residents last year.

But retaining people could be a problem, says Murshed Chowdhury, a University of New Brunswick (UNB) PhD associate professor of population economics.

“In many cases, it happens that there is a spike of population growth, and if we look at five years retention rate, then in many cases, it’s much less than what we expected,” Chowdhury said.

Gloria Farah, a legal advisor at the New Brunswick Refugee Clinic, said part of the Maritimes’ appeal is that it’s “accessible for everyone.”

“There's a lot of organizations that would be able to help them out,” said Farah.

Chowdhury says the “easy settlement experience” is another thing attracting newcomers.

“For example, whether they have access to education, whether they have access to health care and other services,” he said. “For Canadians moving from other parts of Canada, they like to ensure cost of living is accessible, there is good living style, health care, and also jobs.”

However, the lack of a cohesive transit system in many communities can pose a problem to some newcomers, according to Olivia Huynh, the executive director of the refugee clinic.

“While it's often manageable for many people, it can be difficult if they don't have a car,” she said.

There are also concerns about whether the region's schools can handle the influx of people, says Chowdhury.

“So that is one of the challenges. [And] health care, whether it is ready, is one of the challenges. But we cannot let the challenges go. We have to face it,” he said.

Currently, the Maritimes' population is 1,500 people shy of two million.

But, Chowdhury says, that number will only become significant if the region can retain its new residents.