Maple News reports that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is making progress on the long-anticipated Municipal Nominee Program (MNP), with new details emerging from an internal 2020 stakeholder consultation memo. The program, initially promised by the Liberal Party in their 2019 federal election campaign, aims to support immigration to smaller towns and municipalities across Canada. Although the pandemic temporarily delayed its implementation, the government reaffirmed their commitment to launching the MNP during the 2021 election campaign, which they again won.
The MNP is designed to help address one of Canada’s key immigration challenges: the uneven distribution of newcomers. Despite regional programs created over the years, including the successful Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), Quebec’s immigration strategies, and the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, smaller communities still struggle to attract and retain immigrants. Major cities like Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal continue to absorb the vast majority of newcomers.
Before the PNP was introduced in 1998, Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec received as much as 85% of all immigrants. Thanks to regional nomination efforts, that number has dropped to around 70%, allowing provinces like Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador to grow their share. Nevertheless, smaller cities within these provinces still face shortages in critical sectors due to a lack of newcomers willing to settle there.
The MNP proposes to further decentralize immigration by giving municipalities greater control in selecting immigrants based on their unique economic and demographic needs. It aims to strengthen local decision-making and help fill labour shortages in industries ranging from healthcare and education to agriculture and trades.
According to Maple News, IRCC routinely consults stakeholders such as municipal governments, academic experts, non-profit immigrant services, employers, and immigration professionals when designing new programs. The recent memo reveals that feedback from these groups underscores the need for flexible, community-driven selection criteria and strong settlement support to make the MNP effective.
Stakeholders emphasized that for the MNP to succeed, it must include clear guidelines, minimize bureaucratic hurdles, and ensure adequate infrastructure in receiving communities. There’s also strong emphasis on ensuring that municipalities are empowered but properly equipped to support this responsibility.
With Canada’s cabinet finalized and Parliament in session as of late 2021, the path looks clearer for Ottawa to finally bring the MNP to life. The potential benefits could be transformative — not only easing population and labour pressure in big cities but also revitalizing smaller communities eager for growth and diversity.
Maple News will continue monitoring the development of the Municipal Nominee Program and provide updates as IRCC moves toward implementation.