Nova Scotians more welcoming than ever, says immigration minister

Nova Scotia's Minister of Immigration, Lena Diab,said a more welcoming attitude is winning over families who immigrate to the province.

On Wednesday, the province reported more peoplehave made Nova Scotia home in the first six months of 2016than duringall of last year.

In 2015, 3,403 people arrivedin the province,arecord year for immigration. This year has alreadytopped that with 3,418 newcomers making the province their home by the end of June.

• Nova Scotia's population has never been higher, thanks to immigration

More than 1,000 of those newcomersareSyrian refugees who began arriving in December 2015.

Diab said the way Nova Scotians welcomed those familiesseemed to be a turning point for the province.

Welcoming people like never before

"They are welcoming people like they never welcomed them before," said Diab.

"The support that we have received across this land and across this province from one region to the next has been overwhelming. I don't believeanybody would have expected that kind of support."

Diabsaid there was a "big, big change" in attitude towards people traditionally dubbed "come from aways."

Nova Scotians embracing diversity, difference

"People are embracing diversity, people are loving the fact that we're all different."

The minister expects that change in attitude will convince more immigrant families to remain in the province.

Diab said a decade agofewer than one-third of newcomers remained in the province. The most recent figures suggest Nova Scotia is retaining close to three-quarters of the people who immigrate to the province.