Nova Scotia looks to double population to 2 million by 2060
Nova Scotia has a lofty goal of doubling its population by 2060 and while the plan looks good on paper, some critics question whether the province can handle a million more people.
To hit the 2 million mark by 2060, the province will have to welcome 25,000 newcomers each year. It's part of the Tim Houston government's Population Growth Strategy tabled in 2021.
However, Nova Scotia is off to a good start as they welcomed nearly 29,000 newcomers and immigrants last year.
The province's Deputy Minister of the Deptartment of Labour, skills and Immigration Ava Czapalay estimates they'll surpass that number again this year.
"We're on track for a record-breaking year, after a record-breaking year," said Czapalay.
Meantime, critics are wondering if the province can handle the growth.
Halifax Atlantic MLA Brenda Maguire pointed to the lack of affordable housing options, the state of healthcare, and the doctor shortage.
"I would say if they are serious about that [population target] then they need to start looking at the infrastructure and start making massive investments in our schools and our hospitals," said Maguire.
While the province needs more housing, it also needs skilled workers to build it.
Officials say it will need an additional 11,000 skilled tradespeople by 2030 to meet the demand.
Jenniffer Watts, CEO of the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia, says newcomers will be key in fixing not only the labour and healthcare crisis, but also the economy.
"The answer to the housing crisis and the healthcare access issues that we have in Nova Scotia, is in a large part through immigration," said Watts. "We have people that want to come and work here, and they want to contribute."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
As Canada's RCMP marks 150th anniversary, a look at what it says needs to change
After years of reports and allegations detailing a 'toxic' workplace, Canada's RCMP says it is trying to evolve, focusing on diversity in its organization and repairing relationships with communities as it marks its 150th anniversary.

Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion dies at 101
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion, nicknamed 'Hurricane Hazel,' has died. She was 101 years old. Premier Doug Ford said McCallion died peacefully at her home early Sunday morning.
Once-in-a-lifetime discovery: Indigenous jacket that may be a century old turns up in small U.K. town
When 1990s suede fringe jackets started making a comeback last year, a U.K.-based vintage clothing company decided to order four tonnes of suede from a supplier in the United States. Along with that shipment came a once-in-a lifetime discovery.
'Cloud of dishonour:' Memphis police disband unit that beat Tyre Nichols
The Memphis police chief on Saturday disbanded the unit whose officers beat to death Tyre Nichols as the nation and the city struggled to come to grips with video showing police pummelling the Black motorist.
Trudeau remembers 'trailblazer' Hazel McCallion as tributes pour in for late Mississauga mayor
Late Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion is being remembered for the many ways she contributed to not only to the city she led for 36 years, but also the province and country following her death on Sunday morning.
Majority of affordable homes approved under federal program not yet constructed
The federal government has set aside billions of dollars to quickly build affordable housing across the country, but delays in construction suggest many of the projects approved for funding are missing their deadlines.
How to get over the 'mental hurdle' of being active in the winter
When the cold and snow have people hunkering down, these outdoor enthusiasts find motivation in braving the Canadian winter through community and sport.
'Don't be numb to this': Battling despair over gun deaths
When President Joe Biden signed a bill last year to fight gun violence -- the first such measure to pass Congress in a generation -- a substantial majority supported it. But 78 per cent said they believed it would do little or nothing at all, a survey by the Pew Research Center found.
W5 EXCLUSIVE | Interviewing a narco hitman: my journey into Mexico's cartel heartland
W5 goes deep into the narco heartland to interview a commander with one of Mexico's most brutal cartels. W5's documentary 'Narco Avocados' airs Saturday at 7 pm on CTV.